The Invitation
by CheekyChick
Summary: Buffy's ex-boyfriend and childhood sweetheart is getting married to an old nemesis of Buffy's from school, she decides to go to the wedding but needs a date to take with her, we also drop in on the A-Team. A B/S fic PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
1. The Invitation

TITLE: The Invitation

AUTHOR: Cheeky Chick

RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately none of this belongs to me except Michael, Penny etc all the non-important people.

SUMMARY: Buffy gets a wedding invitation from an old boyfriend, she still kind of loves him but hates his future wife. However after much debating she decides to go, but whom will she take to L.A with her for the wedding… she needs a date. She also drops in to see the gang from Angel Investigations. B/S shippiness.

AUTHORS NOTES: Spike has the chip although there is no mention of it so far

FEEDBACK: Would be lovely!!!!! Thanx!!!!!!

Buffy turned over in her bed pulling her quilt up over her eyes in a vain effort to conceal them from the bright sunshine that was leaking in through her blinds.

"Argh I hate the sunshine!" Buffy muttered as she sat up in bed deciding that she couldn't get back to sleep anyway.

She had made that statement knowing that it was made under extreme falsity. Buffy loved wakening up in the morning – it meant she had survived yet another night and was able to see another day, and it was always better when the sun woke her up. It reminded her of her humanity, she always unconsciously left the blinds slightly tilted so that she could experience this every morning.

"Buffy honey, come on time to get up, you're gonna be late for college" Joyce hollered from the bottom of the stairs "Oh and you got mail – Dawns bringing it up just now so get up"

"I'm up, I'm up, stop shouting" Buffy swung her legs out of bed and stared at the door waiting for her sister   

Dawn flung the door open with all her teenage energy and pulled a face at her sister "Hey lazy there's your mail and an O.J" she put them on the dressing table and grabbed a jacket that was lying over the chair "And I'll just be borrowing this" Dawn smirked as she grabbed the jacket and ran out the door before waiting for a response "See ya later sis!"

"Dawny that's my jacket I was gonna wear that" Buffy was ready to go to full scale war with her little sister who had just run out the door, going to do whatever it is 14 year olds do nowadays, wearing Buffy's new leather Donna Karan jacket, but she noticed the letter before she had the chance. She stared at the envelope before going to sit down; she held it and stared at it – she didn't know what to do – she knew exactly what was contained in the pretty ivory envelope but refused to open it. If she opened it, it would bring everything into reality, it would be like final confirmation that it was all over, like a really twisted divorce.

'Buffy you are so sad' she thought to herself 'You can't get divorced if your not married – anyway we haven't been together as a couple in about 5/6 years – get over it Slayer' but it was easier said than done

Her thoughts were interupted by her mother 

"Buffy honey, you okay? You look a little pale" Joyce looked at her daughter who looked like she was on a different planet altogether "Buffy?"

"Sorry mum… it's a letter… an invitation from Michael...it's…" Buffy felt a lump gather in her throat

"Is it the wedding invitation?" Joyce put a loving arm round he daughter wanting to take all her pain away – if it was only that easy

"Yes" Buffy sat up straight trying to contain the lump in her throat because if she let it out she knew she would break down.

Michael Healy was an old friend of Buffy's, before she had moved to Sunnydale Buffy and Michael had went to school together and stayed on the same block. Since they were about 4 they had been best friends. They went all the way through kindergarten and school together and were affectionately known in their neighbourhood as the terrible twins. They were soul mates and best friends who knew everything about each other and understood one another – they were like brother and sister.

However the year before Buffy moved to Sunnydale things began to change between them. Michael had been dating Larissa Harper for about 7 months; they were one of those sickeningly perfect and pretty couples that attended Lawson High. She was co-head cheerleader, a title she shared with Buffy, and he was one of the cutest, smartest and most popular guys in school. However it sometimes bewildered Buffy why Michael went out with her, she was a bimbo and Michael was smart and funny, and well to say the least - she wasn't. Then with only two weeks until the school's Annual Charity Ball she dumped him. The Ball was held every year to raise money for under-privileged kids and was the highlight of Lawson's social calendar but the Captain of the football team had asked her to go with him and Larissa being Larissa agreed. She thought that they would look better in the yearbook than she and Michael would. 

"So let me get this straight Lissy, you are dumping me, your boyfriend of 7 months so you can go to the Ball with jock boy because you two look better together than we do?" Michael was fuming

Larissa giggled and put her hand on his shoulder in a playful manner "If your asking if I'm dumping you because we make a cuter couple than me and you do then yeah, I mean it'll look great in the yearbook, the football captain and the head cheerleader  – but Micky don't blow a fuse  - it's cool" she popped a lollipop in her mouth giggled and walked away leaving Michael stunned. 

He had been quite cut up about it all as he really liked her but that's only the beginning of his problems. Buffy had also been dating someone, Jack Mulligan, the captain of the football team and Larissa's new date to the Ball. She had been so angry and Buffy knows only one way to vent her anger – violence. She put a rather large hole in the wall of her Algebra class and then proceeded to break Jacks nose and give Larissa a big fat lip, earning herself a week's suspension in the process.

"There you are!" Buffy screamed at the two of them as they stood nursing their wounds "You'll look great together now – perfect yearbook photos! They'll be ones you can show to the grandkids – the perfect couple, matching bruises and egos!"

"You're a bitch Buffy Summers!" Larissa growled at her, but she knew better than to retaliate 

"Shut up!" Buffy shook her head at the couple before her " – and while we're here Larissa there's some things I want you to know – I think that you have the same intellect and conversation skills as a dead goldfish with learning difficulties, you're a lousy cheerleader and his name is Michael NOT Micky. And Jack while I'm here, you're as interesting as paint drying and as witty as a big stupid rock that isn't witty and it isn't funny or charming when you break wind in front of me!" Buffy was jumping up and down inside glad that she'd had the chance to say these things

"Yeah" Michael nodded approvingly "What she said" 

They linked arms and left the cafeteria to 200 applauding fellow pupils who had witnessed it and were cheering them on, they left school that day grinning and laughing.

As the Ball approached though they got a little sadder – they really wanted to go but they didn't have time to find dates so going on one of Joyce's suggestions they decided to go together.

It was good but they done it all traditionally as if they didn't know everything about each other. Michael went to pick her up and gave her a beautiful rose

"Mum and dad this is Michael, Michael this is my mum Joyce and my dad Hank" Buffy felt ridiculous, they had known him since he was 4 years old but it was part of the charade

"Evening Mr and Mrs Summers' – I'm very glad and lucky to be taking your daughter out tonight" Michael shook Hanks hand and gave Joyce a rose as well

"Yes I know you are son and have her in before 1 o'clock and no funny business" Hank grinned as did Michael

"Yes sir"

"Can we go now?" Buffy stood impatiently and blushing slightly

They left and went to the ball and never mentioned Larissa or Jack all night. It was a great night they danced, laughed and had fun

"Did I tell you how beautiful you looked tonight?" Michael asked Buffy as they swayed to the music

This took her by surprise "No. Did I tell you how handsome you look?"

"No, you didn't but thank you" he blushed a very cute shade of crimson

Michael was staring at her and she smiled "What are you staring at?"

"Erm…I was just wondering… I mean could I… would you mind if I…you wouldn't kick my ass if I…" Michael couldn't get his sentence out he was so nervous

"Michael?" Buffy looked at him

"Yes"

"Shut up" Buffy leaned up taking his face in her hands and kissed him

They kissed a long, slow, passionate kiss full of emotion that they had suppressed for so long. It had triggered something off inside them – they realised something everyone else already knew  - they were in love. This kiss then led to many more and they soon became one of the hottest couples in school. But as most things in the life of Buffy Summers, it didn't quite go to plan as about a year later she was told her parents were splitting up and as if that wasn't bad enough she was going to have to move to Sunnydale. When Buffy found out she cried for days and when she told Michael he tried to comfort her with the prospect of a long distance relationship but she couldn't spend every day wondering what he was doing, who he was with. They would only be able to see each other about once or twice a month at most and the rest of the time they would be just miserable, wanting to be with someone they couldn't be with and not dating anyone else. She would be making him unhappy and he would grow to resent her for it and she would grow to resent him too so she broke up with him. At first he was gutted, he couldn't speak to her and only came to see her on the day she was leaving. They had an emotional and tearful departure, full of last embraces and a final goodbye to their relationship but not to their friendship – they had known each other far to long for that.

So Buffy moved to Sunnydale, at first she was in a lot of pain but she made friends which helped, then she became the Slayer which kept her occupied and kept her mind off Michael. They had started off writing to one another, and then it was a phone call once a week to catch up then more recently it was e-mailing each other which could be done even more frequently. Michael had even came to Sunnydale once and met the Scoobies but Buffy was careful to keep her Slayer status from him – it had appeared they had both moved on – she had Angel at that time, well she had Angel sometimes, and he had been dating too, so over the years they had re-developed their friendship and moved on. However about 4 months previous to this morning Buffy had received an e-mail saying Michael had got engaged to his girlfriend Penelope Hannings – a girl he'd been dating on and off for about 4 years, they got together about a year after Buffy left. Buffy knew they'd been dating but news of the engagement had came as a shock, they were still so young and still at college. She'd known Penny, they had all went to school together. Penny had always been jealous of Buffy and Michael's friendship and subsequent relationship, as she had always had a major crush on Michael. When Buffy moved to Sunnydale she noticed a resemblance between Cordelia and Penny, only that Penny was even worse than the old 'Queen C', she was always trying to humiliate Buffy but it never seemed to work. No one ever listened to her; they always took Buffy's side – a benefit that came with being head cheerleader and dating all the cutest guys in school. But when Buffy left Penny became co-head cheerleader, she stole Buffy's friends and eventually got her claws into Michael. Buffy was gutted and she dreaded the day that she would see her best friend as good as signing himself over to the devil.

Joyce moved over to the bed and sat next to Buffy putting a loving arm around her shoulder in an effort to comfort her obviously distressed daughter

"Honey, I know it hurts now but you knew it was coming"

"Yeah but this is all so final, you know what I mean. I thought they would have had a longer engagement, I mean they're still so young – it's just a bit of a shock," Buffy sobbed into her mums shoulder

Buffy stared at the envelope again and her mum caught her eyes "Buffy you are supposed to Michael's friend as well, so you have to try and be happy for him – he's happy now"

"Yeah I'm trying and I know he's in love but he's marrying a complete bitch… and he loves her, how can he?.… He's supposed to love me" Buffy couldn't believe how upset she was getting about it all 

"Honey you can't comment on him loving a 'bitch', you fell in love with a vampire" Joyce smiled at Buffy

"Yeah but that's different Angel was dead and had a soul, she's human and I'm not even sure she's even got a heart!" Buffy scowled

"Anyway what I'm trying to say is that you both moved on – you've been in love with Angel and Riley – and he's got Penny. You've both been in love and you've both been happy"

Buffy stopped crying and looked at her mum "Yeah well that's true but where is Angel? Where is Riley? Nowhere near me anyway, that's for sure. I drove them away, they didn't want to be with me" a fresh wave of tears streamed down Buffy pink and puffy cheeks "Michael did want to be with me, he begged me and what did I do – I sent probably the only chance I had at complete happiness packing"

By this point Buffy was beyond being consoled so Joyce done the only thing she could – she held her daughter tightly wishing all her pain away, "It's gonna be okay Buffy – just you wait and see you'll be fine"

Buffy, going against her mothers advice, decided to go to college – she had enough disruptions to her education to contend with. She sauntered down the hall in a daze; so much so that she hadn't even noticed Willow who had followed her all the way down the corridor shouting on her

"Buffy…" Willow sound exasperated as she grabbed her friends shoulder "I've been shouting on you since 4 classrooms back"

Buffy turned to face her friend and Willow noticed her bloodshot, swollen eyes "Sorry Will I didn't hear you – I was in a bit of a daze"

"Yeah no kidding. Buffy what's wrong?" 

"Look I can't really talk about it now I gotta go I'll talk to you at lunch – meet me outside at the lunch tables by the trees… oh and Will I'll provide the tissues if you provide the chocolate"

"Ok Buffy as long as you'll be okay – it's nothing really serious is it?" Willow looked confused and concerned

"Nothing you need to really worry about – just another twist in the tangled love life of Buffy Summers – see ya later Will"

And with that Buffy walked away clutching her books to her chest leaving her friend eager for lunchtime to arrive.

Willow Rosenberg sat in a shaded and quiet part of the lunch area so she and Buffy could have some privacy – she picked a wooden table right underneath a towering oak. She had brought chocolate and sweets and some drinks – she was nervous and anxious to see what Buffy had to say – Was it Angel? Maybe it was Riley? Did Angel get his soul? Was Riley back in town? Her thoughts were interupted by the arrival of her friend.

"Hey Willow sorry about earlier but if I'd spoken about then I would have broke down again" Buffy grabbed a chocolate bar and started to unwrap it

"Well you gonna tell me what happened?" Willow moved to sit straight across from her friend

"Yeah okay but bare with me – this could get messy" Buffy looked up and met the concerned eyes of Willow "You remember Michael?"

"Willow nodded "Yeah you guys were best friends before you moved here and you dated him right?"

"Uh huh and he was kinda like my first love" 

"Ok yeah I know exactly who you're talking about"

"Right well anyway he's getting married and he sent me an invitation this morning and it's hit me real hard" Buffy took a large bite out her chocolate

"Oh god I bet it did are you okay… stupid question – of course you're not okay or you wouldn't be sat here with me like this"

Willow slapped herself

"Yeah well I really love him he was like my brother and best friend and my first love all in one amazing person, worst thing is he's marrying this girl and well me and her never seemed to see eye to eye. In fact I hated her and I think the feelings mutual. I just don't know if I can stand seeing him married to her" Buffy took a deep breath in an effort to stop the never ending tears. She removed the envelope from her bag and gave it to Willow – she scanned the pretty page; Elizabeth Anne Summers and partner are invited to the Pembridge Hotel, L.A for the wedding of Miss Penelope Jane Hannings to Mr Michael James Healy. Service commences at 7:30pm, please R.S.V.P.

"Oh Buffy I'm real sorry, it must hurt – I know how I felt when I saw Xander and Cordelia together and I did hate her at the time, but it gets better" by this point Buffy could feel her eyes filling up once again

"Yeah well I just hope he knows what he's doing, I mean I can see he has been totally excluded from the preparations because he would NEVER have addressed my invitation 'Elizabeth Anne' he knows how much I hate it!"

"Yeah well that's what happens Buff she's probably took over everything and it looks like it's gonna be a posh party – The Pembridge?" Willow cocked an eyebrow

"Yeah – her Dad owns it – he owns half the hotels in L.A!" Buffy mumbled

"Oh Buffy I am sorry – if you need anything… you know I'm always here" Willow squeezed her friends hand

"Yeah well what do they say c'est la vie" Buffy wiped her eyes "Well look I better go– remember, meeting at Giles' tonight 7:30 – see you there?"

"Sure I'm never one to turn down a good old study session" Willow smiled at her friend and squeezed her hand "So you be okay?"

"Yeah I'll be fine" Buffy lied

Willow went over and gave her a big hug and watched her walk away her heart aching for her

"Buffy one more thing – are you gonna go to the wedding?" 

Buffy shook her head "I'd like to go but I'm not going alone and I can't get a date at this stage. But he's my best friend and I want to see him married but if I go alone I'll look so pathetic. Anyway gotta head, see you tonight!" and with that Buffy took off.

"So do you understand the complete seriousness of all this?" Giles rubbed his nose and stared at the vampire before him

"Yeah sure watcher… big, bad, scary, ugly beast like creature… shoots venom…wants to kill us … wants to end the world… blah, blah, blah… anything new?"

Buffy couldn't help but laugh at Spike's outburst but the look on Giles' face was classic!

"Spike this is no laughing matter… you do realise this demon could kill you both?" Giles was staring straight at Spike angrily

"Calm down book worm! The Slayer and me can handle it!" Spike turned and nodded at Giles and then turned to Buffy for confirmation "Slayer… hello… slayer anybody home???" Spike laughed Buffy seemed to be on a totally different planet

'Ha she's probably thinking about Captain Cardboard!' he thought to himself 'but I know what will get her moving!'

"Quick! Slayer! Vampire at 3 o'clock!" Spike screamed at her

Just as Spike thought Buffy leaped out the chair and was in fighting stance and all ready to stake Anya who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Buffy then heard Spike laughing and realised what happened

"Very funny Spike – I was distracted!" Buffy growled at Spike "I've got a lot on my mind at the moment!"

"Sorry it was only a joke" Spike couldn't stop grinning. 

Buffy hated it when Spike grinned it made him seem so normal, so human and if Spike were human he would be kinda cute – well in an abstract Spike kind of a way. Buffy internally scolded herself 

'Right Summers get you're act together you can't use Spike and cute together in the same sentence that's bad – that's real bad!'

Everyone was staring at her again because she'd went into another daydream and they were all dying to laugh but knew better

"Right haul your dead, vampire ass outta here Blondie" Buffy scowled at him

"Yup whatever you say slayer!" Spike walked out in front of her making a fool of her 

"I swear to God Deadboy, if you don't haul that dead ass of yours out to help me patrol I will, I'll stake you, I will" Buffy's face was getting redder by the second.

They left and walked out the front door and headed toward the first cemetery.

Meanwhile back in the house Xander waited till Buffy and Spike were out of earshot and turned to Willow

"What's up with Buffy?"

"Michael's getting married" Willow looked at Xander who nodded understandingly "in two weeks" she added

A sympathetic look shot across Xander's face "Oh right and how's she holding up?"

"Well she's been better, you know…." Willow was interupted

"Right I'm confused!" Anya announced, "I thought Buffy loved Angel and Riley – who is Michael?"

"He's her ex-boyfriend from L.A" Willow looked at Giles

"Oh it's all too much for me to keep up with I'm afraid. I'm going to bed remember lock the door on you're way out" Giles rubbed his nose and headed upstairs.

"Well she certainly is Little Miss Buffy Love-A-Lot" Anya found this all very hard to understand because Xander was the first guy Anya had ever fallen in love with and she is thousands of years old and Buffy was 20/21 and she's been in love going on three times.

"So is she gonna go to the wedding?" Xander looked at Willow

"I think she will but she wants someone to go with her, she needs a date, she thinks she'll look pathetic if she shows up alone" Willow was very sympathetic

"Oh she will look pathetic! There's nothing worse than being single at a wedding. Anyway how is she gonna get a date for a wedding that's two weeks away – I mean come on! – Weddings are at least 4th or 5th date events. I'm sorry but you can't take someone you just met to someone they don't knows wedding" Anya was always looking on the bright side

"Well I don't know – I'm sure she'll work something out she always does!" Willow was confident. Anyway if she didn't she could drag Xander away from Anya by force or she could pretend to be gay and take Willow.

"Well let's go – time for me to go home" Willow looked at Xander and Anya "I'm sure Spike and Buffy will be fine patrolling alone anyway"

They all nodded in agreement and left Giles house clicking the door shut and putting the key underneath the door.

Upstairs Giles let out a sigh of relief he was alone at last and went to bed; he was worried about Buffy though

_'Gosh she does seem rather distracted – hope it doesn't effect her patrolling – ahh well she has Spike with her anyway'_ the thought didn't comfort him much though.

Buffy and Spike reached the first cemetery in silence

"Oh come on Slayer you can't ignore me _all _night!" Spike grinned, "I was only messing with you"

"Oh so I can't ignore you all night – well just try me!" Buffy turned and growled at him

"Told you! You just acknowledged me there" Spike loved being a smartass "Look what's wrong anyway you heart just isn't in it tonight" he looked down at her and popped a cigarette in his mouth

"Nothing" Buffy stared at the ground and continued walking, a vampire leaped out the shadows and pounced towards Buffy and without even looking up she rammed a stake in his chest and he fell to the ground in a pile of dust "I'm just a bit distracted"

"Oh right" neither commented on the vampire she had slain "If it's personal and you don't want to talk about it that's fine but I'm here if you wanna chat"

Buffy was shocked at Spikes sensitivity – Spike was even shocked at his sensitivity

"Oh right, didn't realise you cared Spike" Buffy grinned at him trying to embarrass him

"I… well… it's not that I… well actually my TV set is broken so I can't watch Passions and I need something to keep me going even if it's someone else's sad life!" he said unconvincingly

"Oh right… ok" Buffy grinned and they continued walking 

They stopped as they entered the second cemetery 

"God it's dead tonight! Pardon the pun" Buffy sat down on the edge of the wall and Spike sat next to her

"Yeah I noticed" Spike was talking to himself, Buffy had gone into another daze – the third one since they started patrolling "Slayer…? Slayer!" he got no response "Earth to Buffy Summers! Are you there…?"

"Huh…" Buffy looked up at the Blonde vampire who was staring at her intently. His use of her real name had brought her out the daze – it was the first time she had heard him call her by her name "What'd did you say?"

"Erm… nothing. Look Slayer there is obviously something up so either you finish patrolling with me and tell me what's on your mind or you go home!" Spike was getting bored of her, well it was boredom which was bordering on concern but he made it sound as if he was pissed off

"Alright, alright but do you really want to know? It's not exactly exciting and it's not as enthralling as you find 'Passions'" she stared at his deep blue eyes 'is that concern or boredom in his eyes'

"Alright blah… blah… blah… just get on with it will you!" Spike asked impatiently. He only wanted to know what was making her so miserable 

"Alright then" Buffy sighed and signalled him to sit down, Spike lit up a cigarette and listened contently as she told him the whole Michael/Penny/Buffy saga

"That's pretty shitty" Spike said as he stood up "But you gotta get on with your life. You did it before and you can do it again!"

Spike was trying his best to lift her spirits as three times throughout the story, the tears had threatened to come pouring out and once again he noticed her eyes beginning to well up.

"Yeah well maybe I'm getting fed up with it! I'm sick of people running out on me, and little old Buffy being left to get on with it. Michael didn't want to leave me and I made him – it's my fault he's with someone else and it's my fault he's going to marry her, so really I'm actually to blame! I inflicted all this emotional distress on myself!" she hadn't got the last word out when the tears started to fall

'Oh god what I do?' Spike was panicking 'Do I comfort her, or do I let her get on with it'

Spike didn't have time to make a decision 

"Look Spike I'm really sorry about hitting you with all this – I'm surprised you haven't told me to bloody well shut up or walked away by now!" Buffy looked up at him, she had seen a totally different side to him tonight 

Spike grinned to himself at her use of 'bloody'

"Well you didn't and I haven't so don't complain" Spike looked down at her, she smiled slightly 

'Well it's better than nothing' Spike thought to himself

"So you gonna go to the wedding?" Spike was unsure of the answer he would get

"I dunno! I can't really go without a date that would look soooo pathetic" she mumbled "and it's not as if I can just ask some random guy to go well not to a wedding anyway that'll just scare him away and I don't have time to build it up and make all the effort with him and…." She was interupted

"Calm down Slayer!" Spike butted in, he thought she was going to collapse from a lack of oxygen "remember and breathe please!"

She went a little red "Sorry was I rambling on?"

"Uhh yes! Just a bit" he grinned his tone dripping with sarcasm

They were both surprised at how open they were being with one another but they were comfortable so neither said anything

There was silence "So why don't you just ask Peaches to go?" Spike thought it was a good idea even though he wasn't a big fan

"I don't think so – it would be too complicated. I mean we aren't exactly the best of friends – it kinda weird and anyway, inviting and ex-boyfriend to join me at the wedding of another ex-boyfriend?!" Buffy cocked her head and looked up at Spike "I don't think so!"

Spike shrugged his shoulders "Mmmm I guess so!" he pondered for a moment

"What about Xander? That would be perfect!" Spike congratulated himself on solving the problem but met the less than eager eyes of the Slayer

"Nothing against Xander but I don't think so, and anyway Anya would have kittens you know how jealous she gets" Buffy shook her head and then turned round and saw 5 vampires emerging from the cemetery gates. They ran towards Buffy and Spike. Buffy acted instinctively and whirled around taking the legs from under one of them and he fell to the ground, she rammed a stake through his heart and he turned to dust, meanwhile Spike was playing around with a newly turned fledgling who was throwing punches left, right and centre. Spike easily dodged them as he held his hands behind his back only moving them to look at his watch and yawn irritating the vampire further. Buffy had just finished dusting a third when another one pounced onto her back taking her by surprise

"Sorry to bust up you're little heart to heart with William The Poofy but I'm feeling rather peckish" the vampire spat the remarks at her

"Shame, cos all your gonna be having tonight is dust my friend!" Buffy flipped him over her head and threw him on the ground in front of her sending the stake home.

Buffy turned and looked as the other ran away and then shook her head at Spike who was still teasing the fledgling

Spike noticed the look he got from Buffy

"Oh alright Slayer!" he turned back to his 'opponent' "well sorry, I has been lovely but I'm bored now" and with that Spike brought one of his hands round from his back and turned him to dust

"Slayer you spoil all my fun" Spike looked down at the pile of dust at his feet

"Ha ha, very funny" she couldn't help but grin  "Lets go"

And with that they headed back towards Buffy's house. They walked in silence at first but Spike got bored

"So whatcha gonna do then?" 

"Well I dunno, I really don't" Buffy was actually thinking about what the vampire had said about them having a heart to heart, he was right. They were kind of friends now and those vampires had just interupted one of their bonding moments – it was weird.

"It's just well if you get really desperate… well I mean only if you really need me… I could be your 'pretend' date… but only if you want… if you don't it's not a big deal… I just thought that you don't want to look like a total loser as since the whelp won't go" Spike was staring at the ground 'why am I finding this so hard'

"Really?" she was stunned

"Yeah I suppose. I mean I erm… I have erm… some business to take care of, you know with Peaches and he stays in L.A and well we might as well kill to birds with one stone" he looked up and met a smile

"Spike I really appreciate this… I really don't want to look like a complete loser in front of that bitch and now I've got you I won't!" Buffy was really excited and so was Spike for some reason

"Well I better be off now" Spike started to walk away

"Ok! And Spike thanks a lot… for everything" Buffy smiled 

"No problem all part of the job" Spike stared at her

Their friendship had changed so much recently – they were very comfortable with one another and were friends even if they wouldn't admit it. Boy was this going to be interesting.

"Okay see ya later Spike – we'll talk more tomorrow" Buffy waved and Spike nodded in response as she entered the house.

Buffy walked in with a spring in her step

"Hey mom - have a nice evening?" Buffy looked at her mom and sister sitting on the couch

"Umm yeah actually – it was okay" Her mom was confused "Why are you so chirpy?"

"I'm not chirpy. But guess what? Spike has to go to L.A on business to see Angel so he's gonna drive me to the wedding so I'm gonna go after all" Buffy smiled at the thought of getting one over on Penny

"Oh okay but I didn't think you liked Spike that much and who you gonna go with" Dawn was confused

"Not figured that out yet and me and Spike well we get on alright most of the time and it's convenient – we got this weird partnership thing going on – I can't explain it. All I know is he's getting me out of a big GIANT hole and I really appreciate it!"

"Oh okay then" Joyce nodded slightly confused

She couldn't really tell them the truth they'd both freak out

"Night night then" and with that she headed up to bed a bit happier than she was – that would show Penny. Sure she wanted to see Michael happy but getting one over on her at the same time would be great – 'hey' she thought 'Michael might even get really jealous seeing me with someone else – ohh this is going to work out even better than I thought'

Buffy continued smiling to herself as she wrote out her R.S.V.P 

'Yes, I Elizabeth Anne Summers and partner… shit? What will I say his name is…? William Winthrop – God no it sounds so English – William Harris – that's a bit better! Will attend the fore named wedding. Yes this is all working out rather nicely'

Spike walked back towards his crypt shaking his head

'Oh what have you let yourself in for this time Spike old boy!'


	2. Good Timing

TITLE: Good Timing

AUTHOR: Cheeky Chick

DISCLAIMER: None of this is mine except the non-important characters!

RATING: PG-13

SUMMARY: Buffy is all ready to head to L.A for Michaels wedding with Spike as her 'pretend' date, but they have a few things to deal with in Sunnydale before they go. 

AUTHORS NOTES: Spike has the chip although there is no mention of it!

FEEDBACK: Yes please!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That would be excellent!!!!!!!

 "God I am so bored!" Anya slumped herself over the table and stared at the pile of musty old books that were spread over the surface. "It's Saturday night and we're sitting in an empty magic shop – reading old dusty, dingy, disgusting books" Anya huffed and leaned on the table. She casually flicked through a book on the eating & sexual habits of a Retillian Demon as if it was the latest issue of 'Hello' magazine "Ewww… I actually dated one of those!"

Anya was getting annoyed – no one was paying any attention to her. Willow and Tara were totally engrossed in some article they found on the Internet about witches in the 21st century and had been staring at the laptop for the last hour. Xander was pretending to read an ancient book of prophecies and rituals to see what up and coming events were heading in their direction, but he had actually sneaked a copy of his favourite Spiderman comic in between the covers and was keeping himself occupied with that. Buffy was working out with the punch bag in the back room and Spike took his chair through and was just sitting there smoking, occasionally watching her and sharing some moves with her but she'd just tell him to 

'Keep his God damn opinions to himself' and he'd sit back down in a huff until the next time he decided to offered his advice.

Giles of course was in his element he didn't know which book to read next he was like a kid in a candy store.

Buffy finally took a break from beating up the punch bag and wandered over to the table and sat next to Anya,

"That was a good workout – think I'll go for a patrol now" Buffy wiped her forehead with a towel 

"Ahh yes Buffy - I meant to tell you" Giles looked up from his book "There may be a new vampire in town – Vernon, now do be careful, I think he's up to something" 

"A vampire up to something in Sunnydale – NEVER!" Buffy looked across at an unamused Giles "Joke… as in haha, funny, funny"

"Yes well, none the less this Vernon could prove to be a difficult bugger – he's rather old about the same age as Spike and he's after you I believe"

 "He's after me – no biggie!" Buffy shrugged, most vampires that came to Sunnydale came to kill her "Vernon? What kind of name is Vernon anyway?

"Yes, well you should be careful anyway this one's a strange one alright" Giles nodded his head and pushed his glasses further up his nose "I believe it was him who's going to call upon this demon we are looking for"

"Oh right, that would be the demon that as Spike put it is 'a big, scary, ugly beast like creature who shoots venom and wants to kill us'?" Buffy grinned to herself and turned to Spike "Do you know him?"

Spike walked towards the table, as he passed by Xander he yanked the comic from in between the pages and pocketed it into his duster, winking at Xander who silently fumed

"Yes, that ponce – who could forget, all brains no brawn as I recall, well considering he's a vampire" Spike sat down next to Buffy and looked at Giles "So it's his doing then, it's him that's calling on this demon is it? I'm not surprised – never could do his own dirty work"

"So you do know him then?" Giles was eager for more information

"Yeah" Spike popped a cigarette between his lips "He was sired shortly after me by a friend of Angelus – well not a friend more of a colleague – anyway Vernon, he was a professor of… of like everything, History, Physics, English blah, blah and he carried all this wisdom into his afterlife and he never changed his name either – weirdo. He's a brainy bugger, like I said, all brains no brawn – he's needing a boot up the arse!"

"Right so he won't be difficult to defeat?" Buffy looked over to Spike 

"Well no he won't but his large entourage will, and I'm sure he's under a protection spell of some kind, that's why he's survived this long – he's never actually got himself into a fight he always gets someone else to do it for him" Spike stood up "That's why he's called this demon, he'll want it to kill Buffy"

"Great" Buffy sighed, "My life just can't get any worse!"

"Yeah I know" Anya had been observing the conversation out of boredom "I mean, your last boyfriend left you for the jungles of Southern America, he's probably dead by now. Then there's the invitation to your other ex-boyfriend's wedding and he's getting married to a complete bitch that you hate, and to top it all of you don't have a date and you've got a psychotic, super-intelligent vampire and an evil venom spitting demon who both want to kill you"

"Anya…" Xander stood up angrily and grabbed her by the arm "Time to go I think"

Xander shot an apologetic look in Buffy's direction but she was staring at the ground

"Umm… maybe see you guys in the Bronze later?" Xander looked around the awkwardly silent room

"Sure… we'll be there later" Willow piped up

Xander dragged Anya out the shop and they could still hear her half way round the block

"What? What? What did I say?"

Spike felt really bad for Buffy who was still looking at the ground

"Come on Slayer – lets go see if we can get this demon, it would be good to get rid of it before we go to L.A" Spike stood up, kicking himself at his slip of the tongue 'Shit she probably doesn't want them to know I'm going with her!'

"L.A?" Giles was confused "When and why are you two going to L.A?"

Buffy looked up at Willow, Tara and Giles "Umm well you see I decided that umm…"

"Buffy and one of her school chums are going to that wankers wedding together, but the dumbass Slayer here can't drive yet" Spike was faking sarcasm "so lucky old Spike here is gonna drive her down"

Buffy looked up surprised at him

"Really, who you taking with you then?" Willow was surprised and disappointed Buffy hadn't told her first 

"Erm" Buffy was struggling and then she noticed the comic poking out of Spike's duster "I'm taking Peter"

Giles looked up at her "Peter?"

"Yeah Peter… Peter Parker I went ot Lawson with him" Buffy was dying to laugh and nearly did when she caught Spike's eye

'Peter Parker was that the best you could come up with Slayer?' Spike said to himself

"You went to school with Spiderman?" Willow looked at her suspiciously

"Very funny, his name is… it's actually a bit of a sore point with him, he got a lot of hassle about it at school" Buffy was blushing she was a terrible liar "anyway he called to see if I was going and it turns out he hasn't got a date either because… his girlfriend… she's… she's in France so we're going to go together"

"Oh right okay" Willow eyed them both suspiciously "It's just a bit sudden and Spike" she turned to face him "It's not like you to play the good citizen?"

"Yyyeah why are you being ssso nice all of a sudden" Tara piped in

'Damn witches' Spike thought "Ahh well you see I have some business I have to attend to with Peaches and why ride solo when I can take someone with me to annoy"

They all understood the Spike logic of it all and nodded their heads

"Ok Summers time to go get rid of some demon!" Spike grabbed her arm; he was still dying to laugh

"Yeah, good idea" Buffy grabbed her coat and headed for the door "See you guys in the Bronze later"

They didn't wait for a reply and headed straight out the door and ran for about half a block before they both stopped and leaned against the wall nearly collapsing with laughter

"Peter Parker?" Spike grinned 

"What? It was the first name that came into my head!" Buffy stood up and grinned a little 

"You might as well have said you were taking Clark Kent!" Spike laughed at her

"Very Funny" Buffy looked over at him "So why did you lie for me?" she asked him raising an eyebrow

"Well I don't want them all to think that I was going soft did I?" Spike lied "That wouldn't do much for my reputation would it?"

"Oh" Buffy was slightly disappointed "and there was me thinking you were doing it to be nice to me"

There was an awkward silence,

"Right what'd ya say to us getting on with this patrol?" Spike looked over at her "Cos the faster we get the patrol over with the faster you can get home and get changed and the faster we can get to the Bronze and then I can get a basket of chicken wings and a cold beer"

"Ok" Buffy started walking towards the cemetery "Hey wait a minute what's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Nothing if you're going for the I'm 'sweaty and dirty and in total need of a shower' kinda look" Spike looked her up and down

"Hey you're hardly the one to be handing out fashion advise Mr 'I dress like I'm going to a funeral EVERY day'. I mean do you even own coloured clothes or underwear, stripes or anything?" Buffy liked bantering with Spike it always made her feel better

"Excuse me! How would you feel if I asked you about the colour of your underwear" he looked over at her with a classic Spike sly smile "anyway how do you know I wear any?" 

"Eww much!" Buffy said with a disgusted face and then smiled  "Well no matter we'll have a major wardrobe re-vamp or un-vamp as the case may be before we go to L.A.  I'll even buy you some new underwear! What size?" she rested her chin on her hand as if she was thinking "Mmm… I'm thinking small!" she walked away and headed across towards the cemetery leaving a shocked Spike standing in the middle of the road

"Hold on Slayer that wasn't part of the deal" Spike yelled at her, he hadn't moved from his spot in the road but she was still strolling away "You never mentioned new clothes, Summers...? And I'm a medium…! Slayer? Slayer are you listening to me?" Spike shrugged his shoulders and pulled a packet of smokes out his duster pocket "Stupid bint… I'm not getting new clothes… god damn slayer…" Spike continued muttering and then started walking to catch up with her

"So how was Buffy after we left?" Xander looked over at Willow and Tara and then Anya as they all sat in the Bronze 

"Look I didn't mean anything by it" Anya twisted a lock of her hair "I just don't think before I speak"

"Yeah we had noticed" Willow was blunt "Anyway she was okay, turns out she's going to the wedding after all, some old school buddy is taking her"

"Well that's good, who" Xander took a bite of his burger

Willow grinned "Peter Parker"

Xander spat his burger all over the table "Buffy went to school with Spiderman?"

"No" Willow and Tara were giggling and Anya evidently didn't get the joke "It's just some guy in her class, he called and they're gonna go together and get this - Spike is driving her" Willow raised an eyebrow

"Really? Why?" Xander questioned her

"Well he says he's got to go see Angel and he might as well take her down with him" Tara answered "Talk of the devil" she nodded towards the door as Spike sauntered in and headed for their table

"Hey" Spike pulled a stool over and signalled the waitress "A basket of chicken wings and a beer please"

"Sure thing" the young waitress winked at him but he barely acknowledged her 

"Ta much" and he turned back to the table

"Um okay" Xander started shocked at the waitress' behaviour "Hi Spike"

Spike nodded "Whelp"

"Please stop calling me that?" Xander's face began to colour

"Ok"

He continued, "Where's Buffy?" 

"She went home to get changed – she looked and smelled like a bag a washin" Spike looked for the waitress coming with his beer

"Take it that's one of your little British sayings?" Tara loved the difference in culture, they said and did things so different in Britain, it fascinated her

"Uh yeah I guess so, where is that waitress with my beer?" Spike had no patience

"Oh, you mean that totally cute waitress who was totally checking you out?" Willow smiled over at him

"What?" Xander spat jealously "She wasn't checkin him out, she probably noticed what a freak he is"

"What you gibbering on about Red?" Spike looked over at the witch

"Well I don't pretend to be a mind reader but I think she likes you, she was totally checking you out" Willow playfully punched Spikes arm

"Don't be daft Red" Spike looked at the rather attractive waitress making her way to their table

"Yeah Willow don't be stupid" Xander stuck up for Spike "I mean look at her she's hot! And Spike's well he's Spike" Xander received a punch… from Anya

"You think she's cuter than me?" Anya started pouting 

"No honey, I just meant she's too hot for Spike" Xander then met the face of a growling Spike "No I didn't mean that either – oh god I don't know what I meant"

"Ssshh here she comes" Tara whispered and everyone was silent

Spike was cringing as she approached

"There you go" she smiled a 100-watt grin and sent it in his direction "2 beers, chicken wing and fries"

"Erm sorry love I didn't order all this" Spike looked up at the pretty brunette 

"Yeah I know" she turned on her heels and walked back to the bar but as she left she dropped a bit of paper on the ground and Spike picked it up, Cheryl 555-7878

"Oh my god she was soooo hitting on you!" Willow laughed, "Please tell me that isn't her phone number?"

"Well I hate to disappoint the Whelp but it is" Spike was a bit pleased with himself

'There's still life in this old dog yet' he thought

"Hey guys!" Buffy strolled over to the table all cleaned up and changed. She was wearing a pair of figure hugging jeans and a pink sleeveless top and black boots "So what's up?"

"Nothing much, by the way I'm real sorry about earlier" Anya looked over at Buffy "You know me, big feet, bigger mouth, big foot goes straight into big mouth!"

"That's okay, don't worry about it" Buffy smiled

The music was getting a bit louder as a band came on and Xander took Anya up to dance

"Good timing Buffy" Willow smiled over "But you already missed this evenings entertainment" 

Buffy was confused "Oh, why? What did I miss?"

"You missed the really cute waitress totally and obviously hitting on Spike" Willow grinned

Buffy was thrown off guard but picked herself and grinned a little "Really, which one?"

Spike felt so humiliated "Right haha, very funny, just leave it will you Red"

"Oh getting touchy about the new girlfriend Spike?" Buffy was going to enjoy this; she loved annoying him.

"Right enough is enough. Shut up" Spike was getting pissed off

"Right well what we all drinking?" Buffy looked around

"Umm we're okay and well she brought Spike 2 beers so he should be alright" Willow shook her head "Just whatever you're having"

"Mmm well I'll have one of these" Buffy reached forward and took one of Spikes beers. Then she noticed the waitress out of the corner of her eye, Cheryl was looking Buffy up and down and was drawing her a dirty look, which she thought Buffy couldn't see.

Buffy sat up straight in her stool "Bitch! Take it it's Cheryl that's got the hot's for you then?"

"What? Who's a bbbitch?" Tara looked at her surprised 

"What? How do you know her?" Spike took a sip of his beer

"She used to go to my College, met her through Riley at a Frat party" Buffy sat up "Right well she isn't getting away with looking at me like that"

"Buffy what you doing?" Spike looked over at Buffy, 'shit what's she gonna do?'

Buffy signalled the waitress and she strolled over, Spike stared at the table

"Hi Cheryl" Buffy smiled falsely

"Hi Buffy" Cheryl smiled back "How are you?"

"Yeah I'm okay, didn't know you worked here" 

"Yeah, started last week, so how's Riley?" Cheryl looked at her brightly

"Couldn't tell you" Buffy scowled

Cheryl realised she'd hit a nerve so she continued "Oh sorry, did you guys break up?"

"Yeah, a while ago actually" 

"Oh I'm really sorry" Cheryl said with a super-fake smile 

"Don't be, I'm not" Buffy plastered on her grin and stroked Spikes leg "and neither was Spike were you?" 

Spike was caught of guard "Huh??"

"Oh right" Cheryl looked down at her notepad embarrassed "Anyway what can I get you guys?"

"Umm I dunno" Buffy glared at the menu "Spike honey, do you want anything" she put her other hand gently on his knee

Cheryl went crimson and stood awkwardly

'Oh my God I don't believe her! Well two can play at that game!'

Spike placed his hand on her knee and put his other hand round her waist pulling her close to him, she could feel his cold skin and shuddered,

"Tell you what luv" Spike turned to the waitress "I'll come to the bar and order when little miss picky has decided what she wants" Spike smiled at her

"Sure, no bother" she left pink cheeked

The minute she was out of sight Spike turned to Buffy

"Why did you do that? That was really mean" 

"What, I was only joking, and you can let go of me now" Buffy pushed him away, he'd forgotten he was still holding her

"Right fine…" Spike turned away in a huff

"Fine…" Buffy done the same

Willow and Tara left to join Xander and Anya on the dance floor leaving dumb and dumber to sort things out

Spike was the first to turn back round "Right look I was…" but he stopped mid-sentence and stared into space

"Spike? Spike what's wrong?" Buffy had concern written all over her face

"Don't ask any questions… just follow me" Spike pulled Buffy out of her chair and onto the dance floor, he found a secluded corner and pulled her close to him

"Right you better explain yourself and you better do it quick before I have to pull out Mr Pointy" Buffy muttered into his shoulder. She could smell him off his duster; he had a musky smell about him, and stale smoke. It was a comforting smell to her; it made her feel strangely safe. 

Spike balanced his head so he could speak to her "Right look, Vernon just came in with about 3 other vampires, now I'm guessing he won't recognise me if he doesn't get a right good look. I mean the last time he seen me I had brown hair and a ponytail and they haven't seen you before. They'll be able to sense I'm a vampire though and that always attracts their attention, this way they'll think you're just my meal ticket"

"Oh okay" Buffy nodded "So what do you want to do?"

"Well I'm thinking we get outta here and wait on them and then we can follow them back to there hideout and take it from there. This way we can brush this all under the carpet and head for L.A in a couple of days" Spike turned her around so he could get a look at Vernon

"Right well we leaving then?" Buffy looked up

"No not yet"

"Why?"

"Cos I wanna get some dancing practice in for this wedding" Spike grinned and she dragged him off the dance floor 

"Come on" Buffy signalled to the others and everyone followed them outside

They all stood in the cold alleyway

"Right Spike and I will follow them to wherever it is they're staying – probably The Factory – so predictable" Buffy nodded

"Right meanwhile Anya and I go tell Giles and get some more weapons and meet you outside The Factory as soon as we can" Xander looked up

"Yup, that's right Whelp" Spike then turned to Tara and Willow "Now Vernon has a kind of protection barrier set up around him – I reckon it's definitely a spell of some kind – he doesn't like fighting or getting hurt but it means we can't get near him so you two try and see if you can find a reversal spell"

"Sure thing!" Tara grinned, "We love a challenge"

"Right that's that sorted then" Spike turned to Buffy "Ready?"

"Yup" Buffy stood up "Let's go"

Buffy and Spike hid in the alley waiting on Vernon and the rest of the Scooby's left to put the plan into action.

About 6 cigarettes, 2 toilet breaks, 4 arguments and 3 dustings later Vernon and his gang emerged from The Bronze.

"At last!" Buffy let out a sigh of relief, they were hiding behind a large dumpster as they all walked past

"Right we'll let them walk a few minutes in front" Spike nodded at Buffy 

They waited until they were out of sight and then made their way out of the alleyway in silence as they rounded the corner they saw them heading across town

"Just as I thought – The Factory!" Buffy crouched down behind a car "I knew it"

"Yeah, yeah, three cheers for the Slayer!" Spike mumbled sarcastically, "Lets get on with it"

They followed them down the main street but it was difficult to be stealthy as there was nowhere to hide, then suddenly Vernon's head shot around and looked right in their direction. Spike had seen his head turning and acted quickly; he grabbed Buffy and pushed her into the doorway of a shop putting his hand over her mouth to stop her screaming abuse at her

"Sshh, he knows someone is following him" only taking his hand away when she nodded in understanding

"Mmm… I really must get rid of this blasted spell, I do believe it is beginning to interfere with my god damn senses!" Vernon turned back around to face his minions "Right well come on we don't have all evening you know – carry on!"

Spike and Buffy sighed in relief 

Spike shook his head "Always was an obnoxious git!"

They hadn't moved and Spike could feel her heartbeat racing against his own chest, he could feel her hot breath against his cold cheek. She smelt like vanilla and her breath was sweet and he could smell a trace of that one beer she'd had.

"Spike? Spike? Hello earth to Spike!" Buffy was hissing as quietly as she could

"Huh" Spike shook himself out of the daydream 'Shit Spike what was that all about – Slayer smelling – ewww!'

"Are they gone yet?" Buffy whispered

"No, not yet, just wait to they're out of sight!" Spike peered over his shoulder and noticed them nearing the corner

'They better hurry up' Buffy thought to herself 'Getting way to close to Spike here!' Buffy had spent way to much time up, close and personal with Spike tonight as far as she was concerned

"Right they're gone!" Spike stepped away from her but she didn't let go "Slayer, they're gone"

"Right, right, okay, good" Buffy stepped away from him "Well come on - let's go!"

They followed them until they entered The Factory.

"Psst, psst… Buffy!" 

Buffy and Spikes head shot around and they saw Xander on the sidewalk, hiding behind a dumpster with a bag of weapons

"Hey guys, what took you so long we've been here for ages!?" Xander stood up, he handed them both stakes and gave Buffy her crossbow

"Yeah well they were in The Bronze for about an hour after you guys left" Buffy looked around "Umm where's Anya?"

"Oh it's okay I'm just back here putting my clothes back on" she stood up pulling at the bottom of her jumper, flushed she looked at a gob smacked Buffy and Spike and a very red Xander "What??? What??? We got bored!"

Buffy and Spike just looked at each other and Xander stared at his shoes

"Have you NO shame whelp?" Spike wanted to laugh "I mean I expect this from Anyanka but Xander Harris you Dog! – Oww Oww Oww!" 

Spike received a slap on the chest from Buffy "Right ok, come on we've got work to do, where's Tara and Willow?"

They all looked around and noticed the two witches running towards them, Willow was waving a bit of paper

"We got it!" Willow panted out waving the reversal spell

"Good, well lets go kids!" Spike headed into the factory followed by the Slayer and the Scoobies

Vernon was sitting in a large chair, he was instructing one of his minions

"Now the demon will be summoned tonight, midnight to be exact" Vernon passed the vampire a large book pointing to one page in particular "Now you must recite this passage if the demon is to make the transition into this world and please do try and read it properly! You can read Latin can't you?" 

"Yes master – perfectly" the vampire nodded and moved away

"Good" Vernon stood up and made his way over to the large cage that was in the middle of the room. It was set in the middle of a large chalk circle surrounded by candles and stones "Yes well, I shall have the Slayer, she will die!"

The minions all nodded eager to please their master. Suddenly the double wooden doors burst open; Spike sauntered in and stood in front of the shocked vampires, he took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it taking a puff

"Hello Vernon, long time no see!"

One Vampire ran towards Spike ready to attack. Spike just took another puff of his cigarette and grabbed the vampire by the throat "Do you not know who I am?"

The vampire struggling to break free shook his head

"The name's Spike as in William The Bloody!" Spike smiled as a look of recognition came across the vampires face he looked slightly in awe  "–  and you'll take care not to forget it" he threw the creature across the room and they all stood simply staring at Spike.

Vernon let out a laugh "William my old friend! How art thou?" 

The rest of his minions all stared at him suspiciously "Do not just stand there staring at him, get on with what you were all doing!" Vernon roared at them "Now William, please sit"

Spike nodded and moved next to Vernon

"So Vernon what brings you to the Hellmouth?"

"The Slayer of course!" Vernon stared at him "And you?"

"I've been in Sunnyhell for a while now, I like to think of it as home" Spike looked towards the door as Buffy sneaked in and hid in a corner

"Really?" Vernon was surprised "And the Slayer is still alive? I thought you would have already notched up number three William!" he laughed heartily

Spike cringed as did Buffy "Ahh well this one is different Vernon, she has a spirit and a strength I have never come across before especially in one so young"

"Really?" Vernon pondered, "No matter – I'm sure I can defeat her"

Spike then gave Buffy the signal and she stood up

"I'd like to see you and your stuffy English stiff upper lip try!" Buffy shot her crossbow but the arrow just dropped to the floor about a foot away from him, stopped by the barrier

"At last I get to meet you Slayer, oh you are a dainty little creature – quickly get her!" Vernon called on all his minions and they ran towards her attacking 

Spike decided it would be better to keep up the pretence "Told you she's feisty!" he received a dirty look from Buffy 

The first vamp ran straight at her, she knocked him out with one punch and staked him, Anya and Xander soon joined her.

They disposed of most of them easily enough; many were not long turned. Then a few more experienced vamps came out from the shadows and they began to struggle slightly. One took the legs away from underneath Buffy and had her pinned to the ground, he was strong but she managed to roll him over, she banged his skull of the ground several times and rammed the stake home. Another one came up behind her pulling her arms behind her back, but she flipped him over her head and Anya dusted him.

"She is strong and she has little assistants– how very… quaint!" Vernon rubbed his hands together

Spike just looked at him 'what a bloody creep!'

By this time Willow and Tara had nearly finished, they were sitting in a dark corner chanting unnoticed because of all the fighting going on around them.

Suddenly two of the minions had Xander and Anya and took them up to where Vernon and Spike were seated

"Chain them up over there!" Vernon nodded to the corner

Buffy was left fighting the four remaining vampires alone, then Willow and Tara stood up from their hiding place

"We're done – that's it Spike!"

"What???" Vernon turned and looked Spike who was grinning

Spike grabbed Vernon and twisted his arms behind his back "Order them off the Slayer and her friends or I will kill you"

Vernon was shocked "How?? Why??"

"Enough with the questions buddy – just do as I say"

"Stop! Stop! Leave her! And release them" Vernon's voice was shaky as he nodded towards Anya and Xander

Buffy smiled and staked the remaining Vamps while they were distracted.

"William why are you helping the Slayer?" he looked up at Spike who hadn't released his strong grip of him "and how did you break my spell?"

"Well you see my dear Vernon, I discovered that it's more fun to fight for the Slayer than against her" Spike grabbed his feeble body and chained him up

"Yeah I'm a fun kinda gal!" Buffy walked up to him, Vernon couldn't even speak he was so shocked

"She's got a great wee gang here Vernon" Spike looked around at the Scoobies "She's got an ex-Master Vampire, two witches who cleverly undid your protection spell" Willow and Tara smiled "She's even got an ex-vengeance demon, you know Anyanka?" Spike looked around and Anya waved

"Hi Vernon!"

"Ahem…ahem" Xander coughed

"Oh I almost forgot" Spike looked over at Xander "We've even got a Xander"

Vernon looked confused "A what?"

"Look it doesn't matter, doesn't concern you anyway" Spike stared at Buffy and she nodded he threw a stake at her and she caught it raising it she was ready to stake him

"William you disgust me you are a pitiful excuse for a vampire!" Vernon laughed 

"Well that's rich coming from a vampire who's never fought before and hasn't even fed from his own kill!" Spike was red with rage

"Ahem… look I don't care all I know is you're gonna be dust in less than 10 seconds so I'd shut up!" Buffy raised her stake above Vernon

"Fine but I want you both to know that it can never work!" Vernon grinned, shutting his eyes and braced himself for the impact that came seconds later and he landed a pile of dust on the floor

"Eww he gave me the creeps" Willow shuddered

"Yeah what a horrid little creature he was," Tara agreed, "Come on let's get out of here" and the two witched turned to leave

"I'm a Xander am I?" he looked at Spike "I really don't know how to take that?"

"Take it whatever way you want whelp" Spike nodded and Xander took the backhanded compliment and nodded in response then they all headed out the door

"So what did he mean anyway?" Anya looked at Buffy and Spike "What won't work?"

Everyone looked puzzled remembering what he had said but all shook their heads

"Mmm… I dunno" Spike shook his head "He always was a complete weirdo… stupid poof!"

"Yeah who cares anyway" Buffy shook her head "What do you say we all head back to The Bronze for an hour before we go home I think we deserve it!"

Everyone nodded in agreement and they all headed back across town. 

Spike stopped for a second to light up another cigarette, he knew what Vernon had meant 'Insightful git! Doesn't have a clue – Me and her! Doubtful!'

"Spike you coming to The Bronze or not?" Buffy looked back at the vampire

"Keep your panties on Slayer I'm coming!" Spike walked towards them and the all headed back to The Bronze.


	3. Time To Go

TITLE: Time To Go

AUTHOR: Cheeky Chick

DISCLAIMER: Not mine

AUTHORS NOTES: I dislike the character Cheryl so I ran with that and this is a bond-bicker chapter for Buffy and Spike

SUMMARY: Buffy and Spike go to L.A and things get off to a not so good start

FEEDBACK: Please, it would be very much appreciated

"God damn Slayer!" Spike mumbled and muttered obscenities about Buffy as he stuffed another t-shirt in his bag "Sure Slayer, no bother I'll be your pretend date, sure Slayer I'll go to the God damn wedding with you, sure Slayer you can dress me up like a Ken doll…" Spike rambled on and on, eventually stopping to inspect the contents of the travel bag Giles had loaned him for the trip. It was nearly empty apart from a couple of black t- shirts and a couple of shirts.

"Mmmm… I suppose I really should take more stuff," Spike thought to himself as he inspected his drawers and cupboards "Ahh yes perfect" he grinned as he filled the remaining space in the bag with Jack Daniels and cigarettes and a bottle of Vodka in case the Slayer felt like a drink. Spike smiled to himself as he checked the time and peeked outside to see if the sun had set, noting the amber light was nearly gone he threw his bag in the back of the car and loaded the trunk with weapons just in case. 

_'This is gonna be a long trip!'_ Spike grinned slightly at the thought and then cringed as he drove to pick up the Slayer.

"Okay Honey" Joyce hugged her daughter "Now have a good time"

"Yeah Buffy have a good time and try not to stake Penelope!" Dawn laughed but her mom silenced her and motioned her to go inside after. Dawn hugged Buffy and waved at Spike

"See you soon Lil' Bit!" Spike waved back as she headed indoors

"So what was I saying?" Joyce looked at her daughter

"I'll be fine mom" Buffy made her way towards the black Desoto parked outside her house

Spike stepped out the driver's side "Don't worry Joyce I'll take care of her"

"Mmm… that's what I'm afraid of" Joyce looked over at the Blonde vampire who grinned cheekily

"Mom" Buffy looked at her mother sternly and Joyce retracted and headed indoors

"Do you have enough money?" Joyce shouted at her daughter as she walked down their path

"Yes mom"

"And you're going to get a new outfit for the wedding in L.A?"

"Yes mom"

"And you will send my love to Michael"

"Yes mom"

"And you remembered to pack your… well your… you know…" Joyce made a staking motion with her arm

"I've got it covered mom" Buffy smiled and climbed into the passenger seat 

_'Well that's as normal as it gets for me, so honey you got enough cash, you got clean underwear, oh and don't forgot your stakes, holy water and crucifix!?'_ Buffy sometimes longed for normality

"You alright Slayer?" Spike looked over at his passenger who looked lost in thought

"Yeah I'm fine" she nodded at her vampire 'friend' "You don't mind if we stop at the Bronze do you? It's just I told everyone we'd meet them there before we left"

"Whatever" Spike started the engine and made his way towards The Bronze 

Buffy grinned to herself  _'Well strange isn't always bad'_                                   

It was still early evening as Buffy and Spike pulled up outside the Bronze and a steady stream of regular patrons were still making their was inside.

"Right so we won't stay for long?" Buffy looked toward Spike as she stepped out the passenger 

"Sure just as long as I've got enough time for a couple of beers and some chicken wings I'm fine but the Whelp better not start lecturing me or I may have to knock him out" Spike smiled, despite the fact him and Xander were supposed to hate each other and constantly said so he kinda liked the kid

"Excuse me?" Buffy stopped in her tracks, hands on hips "I soooo… don't think so!"

"What?" Spike looked at her confused "I'm not actually gonna punch the boy" Spike tapped his skull with his knuckles "Remember Spike the neutered vampire, can't hit humans, chipped, ring any bells?!"

Still Buffy stood stock-still staring right through him

"What?" Spike was growing impatient and people were beginning to stare

"I know you won't hit Xander because you know better but if you think that your drinking and then driving ME to L.A you have another thing coming!" Buffy rested her hands by her sides and noticed their audience, the girls all nodding in support at her and the guys all waiting to see what Spike would do next

"You go girl" one girl gave her support

"You gonna let your woman talk to you like that?" the girl's boyfriend looked at them and received a slap before being dragged away

"What? I can drink what I bloody well want!" Spike grunted, "It's not like I'll be drunk!"

"That's not the point!" Buffy huffed "Whatever! You are such a pig!" she headed in the door and ran straight into a rather amused looking Cheryl who had witnessed their little argument

"Problems Buffy?" Cheryl asked snidely

Buffy's face reddened "No! Everything's perfectly okay! Come on Spike!" Buffy grabbed Spikes sleeve and dragged him towards their table

"Here they come" Xander nodded towards Buffy and Spike

"Hi guys" Anya greeted them

"I don't believe you! She would have loved that!" Buffy hadn't heard Anya greeting them

"Well it's not my fault I mean Christ – we're not married you can't tell me when to drink and what to drink! For that matter you still wouldn't tell me even if we were married!" Spike's face would have reddened if it could he was pretty pissed off

"Hi guys" Willow and Tara walked towards the table and sat down unacknowledged by their arguing friends and Anya and Xander who were too busy listening to Buffy and Spike bicker

"I mean I know she's a bit of a stupid bint but just ignore her she's just trying to wind you up and you're falling for it!" he thought reasoning with her might help

"Yeah well it's your fault anyway" Buffy turned away and faced her friends who looked on in confusion

"Umm… did I blink and miss something?" Xander looked around the table and Buffy just grunted something about Spike being a grand old British pain in the ass as he headed to the bar

"Well…" Tara and Willow filled Xander and Anya in on the whole 'Cheryl likes Spike but Buffy and Cheryl hate each other, Cheryl was winding Buffy up about Riley so Buffy used Spike to get her own back' thing

After Xander and Anya nodded in understanding they turned their attention back to the table and noticed Spike at the bar and Cheryl stealthily approaching Buffy

"Oh conflict… I like it!" Anya smiled rubbing her hands together but Xander had already pulled her out the chair 

"Hey" Cheryl greeted Buffy

"Hi" Buffy looked up 

"Now I know you said you and Riley had well… parted" Cheryl smiled unsympathetically and Willow squeezed Buffy's hand before her and Tara left so they could argue in privacy "… but I mean I haven't seem him around college or at any Frat parties and I was wondering well, I was wondering if you knew where he is?"

By this point Buffy's face was scarlet but decided not to let Cheryl get to her.

She plastered on a smile thinking of a response _'Actually I dumped him because I don't like going out with guys who get their kicks by being literally sucked off by vampires (as opposed to going out with an actual vampire because that's ok) and the last time I heard he was fighting demons in south America! Mmm… I don't think that's gonna work'_

"Well we didn't part on great terms and I have no idea or desire to know where he is" Buffy looked towards Spike eager for his return so she would hopefully leave

"Oh right" Cheryl followed Buffy's gaze towards the bar and noticed Spike returning from the Bar with two sodas "So does he always do as he's told?" Cheryl nodded towards the two sodas he was carrying

Buffy smiled proudly as Spike came towards them, he put the sodas on the table and slid onto the seat next to Buffy and gave her a light peck on the cheek. Buffy was loving this. Spike noticed how annoyed Cheryl was getting and looked up at her

"Hey Shelley how are you?" Spike smiled at her and Buffy struggled to keep her laugh in

"Actually it's not Shel… know what it doesn't matter" Cheryl turned away scarlet faced "See you guys later"

Spike interupted "Yeah see you sometime next week"

Cheryl looked confused and Buffy couldn't wipe the look of absolute glee from her face

"Yeah" Spike stretched an arm around Buffy "We're visiting my… grandfather in L.A, we're leaving tonight actually so we better get a move on"

Cheryl nodded and just left without a word.

Buffy just burst out laughing and Spike was grinning "That was good, wasn't that good?"

"Yeah Spike that's was classic she was so angry" Buffy continued laughing and then looked at the soda Spike was lifting to his mouth "Oh and thanks for the sodas"

Spike smiled "That's okay mines is a Jack D and coke" he grinned cheekily and swallowed his drink as the slayer slapped his chest

"So you'll really be okay?" Willow looked concerned as she hugged her friend "I mean you know you can call me any time in case you wanna talk or something"

"I'll be fine I mean… well it's gonna be hard watching him get married but I'll have Sp… Peter to keep me company!" Buffy blushed and quickly hugged Willow and then turned her attention to Xander who was leaning in the driver side of the car speaking to Spike

"Now remember drive careful cos although you may be the great undead but she isn't and I'd like her back in one piece" Xander looked at the blonde vampire with his best menacing face but Spike thought he was going to burst out laughing in the boy's face

"And Spike send my best regards to Deadboy and the gang" he then slipped an envelope into Spike's hand, Spike looked at it confused and began to inspect the white envelope and then noticed it was addressed to Cordelia Chase and nodded understandingly 

"The cheerleader?" Spike cocked an eyebrow

"Shhh… don't let Anya hear you… it's just something I wanted to give to her a long time ago and never got round to it, silly really but then again so was our relationship"

Spike smiled and tucked the envelope into the inside pocket of his duster

"Ahem…" Buffy stood behind Xander

"Buffster!" Xander cringed "I promise I wasn't giving him the 3rd degree I was just reminding him of Californian law and speed restrictions"

"Yeah right Xander" Buffy smiled and hugged Xander "I'll be fine"

"Yeah I know but if this Peter guy steps outta line just tell him the Xand man will come down their and kick his ass!"

She walked around to the passenger side and all her friends stood on the sidewalk

"You have the hotel number just in case right?" 

"Yes Buffy" Tara held up the bit of paper and waved it at her

"And you'll call if anything happens"

"Yes Buffy. We promise that if any 'Big Bads' appear we will let Giles know and then inform you IMMEDIATELY" Xander grinned as he mimicked her

By this point Spike was smacking his head off the steering wheel in frustration but with one sideways glance from the slayer he stopped and just huffed impatiently and lit a cigarette

"Right, and Dawn?" Buffy looked hopeful

"I'm taking her to the movies tomorrow night and I'll make sure she stays out of trouble" Willow smiled and ushered her friend towards the car

"And what about…?"

"I'll look after Dawn when your mother is working she can come over the magic shop whenever she wants and we can count some money" Anya smiled at the thought

"Mmm… thanks Anya I'm sure Dawn will look forward to it" Buffy laughed "Okay guys thanks a lot but it's time to go I'll call toni…"

"Buffy!!!" they all yelled in unison

"Okay, okay calm I'll call tomorrow or maybe even the next day!"

Spike had already started the engine as Buffy climbed into the passenger seat still waving to her friends

"Eww this thing smells like cigarettes and booze" Buffy held her nose making a face of disgust at Spike as they drove away

"Yeah I know – I got it just the way I like it!" Spike smiled and put his favourite sex pistols tape in the stereo as they passed the 'You are now leaving Sunnydale' which had suffered from heavy graffiti over the years and now read ' You are now leaving SunnyHell hope you survived your stay'

"Whatever!" Buffy crossed her arms and contented herself with the baron view, she knew that her and Spike had a lot to figure out and they'd have to straighten out their stories but for the time being she was happy for the silence, for the quiet time and lack of slaying duties – she was having a well deserved vacation. 

Spike sensed a change in her and left her too it she seemed to relax he would wait till they got to L.A before he'd tell her that he had 'accidentally' forgotten to lift the tux Xander was lending him for the occasion, he grinned to himself and stared at the road ahead – this was going to the weirdest vacation ever.

"Buffy…Buffy we're here" Spike shook the petite slayer lightly but unsuccessfully

Buffy had fallen asleep half way there and was lying with her head resting on the folded up duster on his lap, she was exhausted and had clearly needed a sleep but now he couldn't get her to wake up. He slipped out from under her head and rested it on the seat and approached the parking attendant who was standing staring at his car

Spike opened the trunk and started to pull out their luggage, he put all their stuff into one of the trolleys and it was wheeled away by the young concierge, then he turned to the parking attendant who was still standing gawking at his car

"Right look" Spike pressed the car keys into the boys hands and nodded towards the car "Be very careful son she's very valuable"

"Sure thing man" the boy smiled staring at the sleeping blonde in the front seat, this caused Spike to growl

"I meant the car! Not the girl!" Spike grabbed the boy 

"Chill man I was just kidding but she is a…" the boy was silenced by a look from the blonde vampire who had already moved towards the car and had wrapped the duster around Buffy and had gently lifted her into his arms

"It'll be in parking zone F" the guy climbed inside "valuable my ass – it's a relic!"

Spike was making his way up the stairs staring at the small sleepy blonde in his arms when she began to stir

"Mmm… so tired"

"Hey pet your alive, I thought you'd never wake up" Spike couldn't help but smile as she rubbed her eyes she looked so child like and innocent

"Spike where are we?" Buffy looked up and then realised she was all snugly in Spike's arms, Spike noticed this and put her down but she was still sleepy and stumbled slightly but he caught her

"We're at the hotel luv"

"Umm how long have I been sleeping?" Buffy tried to compose herself as she stood up running her fingers through her hair and pulling at her top

"A couple of hours maybe" Spike started to walk towards the entrance "Couldn't get you to wake up so I gave the kid our luggage so I could check us in"

They stepped into the revolving doors and when they re-emerged at the other side they both looked around in amazement, the hotel was beautiful. The reception was full of plush furniture and a marble floor and at the top end of the room a large marble counter,

"This is a bit of alright Slayer" Spike noted as he looked around him appreciatively

"Yeah I know" Buffy nodded in agreement 

"Hello, sir, madam, welcome to The Lariat Hotel I'm Julia can I help you?" Buffy and Spike turned to see were the voice was coming from, it was the receptionist behind the marble counter

"Umm yeah we're just waiting on our luggage we'll be a second" Buffy looked over at the pretty girl at the desk, she had dark hair which she had tied back in a clasp with light wisps falling at either side of her face, she was very smartly presented, and had dark pretty eyes and a nice complexion, her hands were also well looked after she had well manicured nails and soft supple fingers. Buffy took a minute and fingered her own hair, which was tied back in a scrunchie; it was in a state of disarray, she then looked down at her top which was all wrinkled and her trousers didn't seem quite so fashionable now. Then she sniffed; she smelled like a dingy bar because of the smell in the DeSoto and screwed her nose up in disgust, looking down at her hands she noticed they too were in need of some attention all the fighting and stake making had taken it's toll on her delicate hands; her nails were short, her hands scarred from numerous splints from constantly handling stakes her skin felt rough, she felt horrible. Buffy didn't have time to pamper herself and looking at this girl sitting in front of her who was perfect she felt unattractive.

She was brought out of her daydream by Spike who took her hand and squeezed it "Don't be daft Slayer – how much do you think it costs her to look like that" he nodded towards Julia and then turned to her "You can't buy natural beauty"

"Huh? That wasn't a compliment was it Spike?" Buffy smiled

"Well no… I mean I still think you've got a face like the back end of a bus that's been in a pile up but it's nicer than hers, I mean I bet she's got a stamp on her arse saying made in Taiwan!"

Buffy laughed and took the back-handed compliment "I get it"

"Ahem…" they turned round and the young concierge was standing with their luggage

Spike smiled "Thanks mate" but the young man simply stood there

Buffy grinned and leaned towards Spike "I think he wants a tip"

Spike nodded "Right" he then turned to the young man "Before you talk to any strangers always try to check and see if they have a pulse first"

Buffy started laughing but the young man just scowled and walked away "Cheap British son-of-a…."

"Right lets check in I'm exhausted" Buffy turned back to the desk "Hi… we got our luggage"

"Great! I'll just check your details and we can get you to your room" this girl was so chirpy it was sickening

"The rooms are booked under the name Summers" Buffy was less enthusiastic

"Ok" Julia began clicking on her computer "Yes Elizabeth Summers and William Harris I believe, room 13 on the 7th floor" and she handed them the key "It's a lovely room, very nice view"

Buffy's face dropped and Julia just looked at her "Is there anything wrong?"

"Umm… yes!" Buffy protested, "I booked two single rooms!"

Spike cringed _'Great – what next?!'_

"Problem luv?"

"Yes there's a problem I booked us two single rooms and they've given us a double room – ONE double room" Buffy just wanted to sleep and wasn't in the mood to argue with the Barbie doll behind the desk

"I'm very sorry but that's all we have available at the moment" she looked at them both blankly "It isn't a major problem is it?"

"Well actually…" Buffy was about to throttle the girl when Spike intervened

"No pet that'll be fine", he held onto Buffy's arm "Won't it?"

Buffy scowled and nodded reluctantly "Yes"

"Okay then" she clicked her fingers and another concierge came and took their luggage away  "I hope you enjoy your stay at The Lariat and if you have any problems please don't hesitate to…" she was cut off by Buffy

"Whatever!" Buffy scowled and headed towards the elevator

The receptionist just looked shocked

"Yeah, um lack of sleep it eh, tends to make her grumpy" Spike shrugged and followed her 

_'What an odd couple' _Julia thought as she turned back to her screen

"7th floor please mate" Spike stared straight ahead as did Buffy

"You've got a nerve Spike"

"What? It wasn't like we had a choice!"

"Well just as long as you know that you'll be sleeping on the floor"

"Wouldn't have it any other way pet"

Buffy wanted to smile and was trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face

Spike was amused by the situation so far things weren't exactly going to plan but then when it came them, did they ever?

They were brought out of their daydreams by the elevator guy, "7th floor!"

They got off the elevator and walked along the corridor until they got to room 13, Buffy turned the key and pushed the door open

"Wow!" Buffy couldn't believe it

"Yeah I second that" Spike hadn't ever seen a room as nice as this

"This is beautiful" Buffy smiled and ran around the room like a kid in a candy store taking in every detail the large bathroom, the Jacuzzi, the balcony and large windows, and her favourite the king-size four-poster bed while Spike just laughed at her.

"Spike this place is amazing!"

"Yup" Spike smiled as he leaned back in his chair, he noticed the phone next to him and picked it up 

"Spike don't even" Buffy stood with her hands on her hips

"Hi room service please I would like hot and spicy chicken wings; a big basket full of them with loads of tomato sauce and some fries please, thank you" and he put the phone down grinning

"Spike I don't believe you!"

"What? Did you want something?" Spike laughed and kicked off his shoes

Buffy shook her head and headed to the bathroom when the phone started ringing

"If that's room service again order me a club sandwich Spike" Buffy stuck her head round the door "No, in fact make that an omelette and get me a soda"

"Umm Buffy" Spike held the phone up covering the mouthpiece "It's not room service"

"Well who is it then?" Buffy was confused "It isn't mom is it – is something wrong?"

Buffy ran towards Spike who shook his head "It's Michael luv"

Buffy stared at the handset for a minute then at Spike 

"Well… do you want to talk to him?"

"Umm… yeah I suppose I'd better" Buffy attempted to compose herself as Spike got up giving her his seat

Spike took his hand off the mouthpiece "Here you go mate…" Spike began rolling his eyes and making gagging noises "Spike…yeah it was nice to speak to you too… uh huh… yeah sure… see ya soon"

Buffy smiled and took the phone, "Michael, hi…"

Spike left, deciding to give her some privacy and went downstairs to the reception

"Reception please" Spike mumbled to the guy in the elevator

"Yes sir"

Buffy stared at the phone and hadn't even noticed Spike leaving 

"Michael? Hi how are you?"

"I'm fine Lizzy Beth" Michael started laughing

"Shut up, you know I hate that!" Buffy grinned listening to Michaels soothing tones; his voice always comforted her

"So how are you Buffy?"

"Fine no need to ask you, you've been quite the busy bee"

"Well yeah I'm sorry I haven't called sooner but I've been so busy with work, caterers, dress rehearsals, flowers, and you know what Pen's like, a total perfectionist"

"No problem" Buffy rolled her eyes "Pen's a nazi when it comes to perfection!"

"Yeah I know"

"So how did you know I was here?" Buffy wanted to stick to small talk

"I called you and Joyce said you'd left already so she gave me your hotel number"

"Oh right, cool" Buffy was surprised "So are you guys ready yet?"

Michael sighed "Well we've nearly got everything ready we're quite organised but please Buffy enough about me all I've done for the last month is talk about me and Pen and this wedding and I'm sick to death of it so come on Buff you were always good at putting me at ease fill me in what's been happenin with you, how's Joyce and little Dawnie and all your weird friends?"

Buffy laughed, "Well Mom's fine and Dawnie's not so little and my friends aren't weird!"

"Yeah they are" Michael laughed, "I met them once and all the stories you told me - they're weird"

"Whatever"

"So the last time we had a heart to heart you had just met Mr America" Michael was eager to know who this mystery man was

"Oh Riley we broke up he had to go to South America with his job and all" Buffy was emotionless as she spoke of him

"Oh right I'm sorry to hear that he seemed nice"__

_'Nice' _Buffy thought_ 'Boring sounds more like it'_

"So who's the new man, sorry men in your life?" Michael was nosy

"I don't understand" Buffy was confused 

"Well I noticed you changed your date, you always were indecisive when it came to men though"

Buffy didn't find this funny in fact it kinda hurt her "What do you mean by that?" it hurt that he thought she changed her mind about guys all the time it just wasn't like that with him or Angel or Riley she had loved them all they broke up due to circumstances out with her control, he just didn't know it

"Nothing it's just I noticed on the invitation you were bringing some guy William and then some other guy answered your phone and I assumed it was you date"

Buffy's face went purple "Some guy, let me tell you Michael you know that 'some guy called William' he is my date and he's not just some guy he's my boyfriend, in fact he's my fiance" Buffy gasped it had slipped out before she'd even thought about it

"Oh sorry didn't mean to offend you it's just…why didn't you tell me" Michael was caught off guard by her reaction

"We didn't think it was appropriate timing and Spike well Spike is William its just William is his Sunday name you know, just like Elizabeth is mine"

"Right okay" Michael was shocked "I feel terrible I didn't even know you were serious with anyone. Buff we're drifting so far apart I feel awful, how long...?"

"Well I've known Spike for about 5 years and we only got together this year but Michael it's okay I shouldn't have said anything" Buffy was slapping her head _'Why, why, why, why, why did I say that Spike's gonna kick my ass!'_

"Tell you what I know this week is hectic but like I said we're quite organised and we were having a night off tomorrow night, you know some dinner a club so why don't you and Spike come out and we can celebrate your engagement" 

"Umm I don't think so I mean we wouldn't want to intrude I know you have a lot to do and all and it seems really inappropriate what with you and Penny getting married announcing our engagement and celebrating it seems well really…" Buffy tried hard to get out off it, she was shaking her head as she opened the mini bar

"Buffy I'm not taking no for an answer, Pen and I are taking you and Spike out for dinner and then we can go to Perry's club, you remember Perry we went to school with him, you went to 3rd base with him"

"Did not! Michael that's not funny! I kissed him once and I was like 14!" Buffy laughed

"Ok chill, anyway it'll be nice to take the heat off me and Pen for a minute I hate hogging the limelight and I'm sure Pen feels the same" Michael was stubborn

'Mmm now I know Penny would hate it, the limelight taken away from her in her time of glory – a chance to rub her nose right in it!'

"Okay you've persuaded me and I'm sure Spike will agree to it" Buffy threw back a tequila as Michael started arranging things and Buffy started getting drunk

About 45 minutes later Spike returned to the room, he knocked the door and waited, he'd gotten sick of chatting to the really annoying fat lady 

"Oh son I saw you and your lovely wife arrive earlier, she is a pretty little thing isn't she?"

Spike had simply lifted his head from the paper and nodded but she had took this as a sign to continue annoying him

"Yes I said to my husband Ed, I said Ed look at that lovely couple aren't they adorable"

Spike once again just nodded

"How long have you two lovebirds been married?"

"We're not married"

"Really, so when are you going to make an honest woman of her then?"

'God this woman is a nosy old porker' 

"Not sure" Spike just wanted some peace as he looked back down at his paper

"Oh so you're not even engaged yet!"

"No but I'm sure she'll let me know when it's time but I'm very sorry Madam but I have to return to my girlfriend"

"Of course son" the fat lady smiled and took his hand "What's your name son and your little lady's?"

"I'm William but most people call me Spike and her name's Buffy"

"Buffy?"

"Yes" Spike laughed "Buffy"

"Well we should all have dinner one night"

"Sure that'd be great" Spike smiled falsely "But if you don't mind I'd better get back"

Spike had walked towards the kitchen and picked up something to eat for Buffy and he sneaked in and heated himself up some blood in the microwave and now it was getting cold as he stood waiting to get in

"Hey Buffy I got some grub here let me in before it gets cold" Spike knocked the door again but she still didn't answer 

He anxiously fumbled in his pockets for a key and gladly found one, he put it in the door and pushed it open and instead of finding Buffy still on the phone or in the bath or sleeping in bed liked he'd hoped he found her in front of the mini-bar with a collection of empty bottles now building including some of his own personal collection

"Shit Slayer what you doing?" Spike bent down next to a red-eyed Buffy

"You brought food" Buffy slurred, "Whatcha bring me"

"Slayer!?"

"What I decided to have a little teensy weensy drink" she giggled "Look I only drank half of your Vodka and I only drank the tequila from the mini bar and I only had a sip of your Jack D"

Spike looked at the nearly empty bottle of vodka and the half empty bottle of whisky and all the miniatures of tequila on the floor

"Yeah sure Slayer" Spike slumped next to her and brought the bottle of whisky to his mouth "So what happened anyway?"

"Well you know how Michael called" Buffy tried to push herself up of the floor but fell back down on her behind

"Stay still and tell me the story" Spike gave her a cushion to put at her back and the both leaned against the foot of the bed surrounded by all the drink they had

"Well we're having dinner and then going to his friends nightclub"

"Good you can chat and get him to see sense before it's too late" Spike took another swig of his whisky

"No, no, no you don't understand, I said WE'RE having dinner as in me, you" Buffy pointed a Spike and prodded him in the chest "and Penelope and Michael, we're all having dinner tomorrow night at 10:00 and then we're going to the club about midnight"

"Great" Spike downed some more whisky "A nightclub that's those horrid places with the loud shitty dance music and the dancing and… fuck!"

"Yeah double fuck" Buffy mumbled drinking more vodka "Oh by the way you got a promotion"

"What do you mean?" Spike finished off the bottle

"Well you're now my fiancé! We're going out to celebrate our engagement" Buffy laughed as Spike spat the whisky out

"Oh shit this calls for more booze" Spike opened another bottle

"Yeah and we gotta plan what we're gonna do!" Buffy stole the bottle off Spike and the two of them sat thinking

Spike looked at the roof "This is gonna be a long evening!"


	4. Congratualtions Buffy And Spike

TITLE: Congratulations Buffy and Spike

AUTHOR: Cheeky Chick

RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: None of this belongs to me, honest!

SUMMARY: Buffy and Spike have to go have dinner with Michael and Penny and to make matters worse they are suffering from the worst hangover ever

AUTHORS NOTES: Sorry it's taking me so long to update but I've got a lot on. Now unless you hadn't noticed these stories are Joyce Summers friendly – she ain't dead in my world, also Spike hasn't professed his love for Buffy they are still at that awkward 'we're kinda friends but won't admit to it' stage and Spike IS chipped – just wanted to clear a few things up there – thanx

FEEDBACK: Just like to say thank you to all those who have reviewed my story so far

"Bloody hell!" Spike sat up, suddenly awoken from his slumber by the telephone ringing, the quickness of the motion had made Spike feel extremely dizzy due to the fact he was still intoxicated from the heavy drinking session he'd had the night before.

He leant over and grabbed the phone from its cradle

"Hullo?!" the gruff British accent muttered sleepily

"Umm… hi, is that you Spike?" the timid voice from the other side came "I didn't wake you did I?"

It was Michael

Spike shook his head as he strained to remember the events of the previous night; he then turned and looked at the clock noticing it was now 3:30pm

"No, I was just napping" Spike looked around the room noting the 3 empty Jack D bottles, the vodka, tequila, the now empty mini bar and the Slayer whose legs were now entangled with his as they lay in bed – together

'Oh my God I'm in bed with Buffy and we were drunk!' Spike started to panic but then breathed an unnecessary sigh of relief 'Thank God – we've still got all our clothes on!'

After that minutes silence Michael coughed to make sure he was still there "Umm... Sorry about that I was just phoning to confirm things for tonight"

It was at this point everything came flooding back to him, Michael and Penny – the wedding – the meal with them tonight – Buffy and Spikes pretend engagement, suddenly Spike fell out the bed with a thud that awoke the sleeping Slayer who fell with him

Spike dropped the phone in all the confusion and Buffy who woke up when they fell from the bed panicked and tried to get up but found this difficult due to the fact her limbs and those of her dead drinking buddy were entangled among the many sheets and covers of the bed

"Spike what the hells going on?" Buffy pulled herself off of Spike whom she had conveniently had landed on

"I was kinda hoping you could tell me" the blonde vampire looked the slayer, he couldn't help but grin, her hair was in a state of disarray with feathers from the pillows sticking out of it, her clothes were wrinkled and stained from multiple spillages and yet she still stood with one hand on her hip, eyebrow arched waiting

"Well all I remember is… well I remember sitting and then the drinking and oh and the phone…" she looked at him wanting him to fill in the blanks as she really couldn't recall but Spikes face suddenly dropped

"Bloody hell the phone!" Spike stared at her, as she looked on confused when he started rummaging about the floor in search of the phone, he eventually found it

"Michael mate, you still there?"

Buffy's chin hit the floor and she looked at Spike in disbelief "Michael? On the phone? On the phone, now?" she mouthed

Spike nodded in confirmation

"Um… yeah look Spike did I call at a bad time? Sounds like a bit of a domestic" Michael was quiet

Spike looked at the Slayer rolling his eyes "No not at all mate the little lady's got her knickers in a twist cos I had a few to many at the bar last night with a few old friends, but I had better go anyway"

"Ok, so we still on for tonight we'll drop by and pick you guys up at the hotel about 9:30?"

"Sure that'll be fine, I'll let Buffy know, see ya later" Spike hung the phone up and turned to face the Slayer who was still standing hand on the hip staring at the blonde vampire

"Spike?"

"Buffy?"

"Spike what's going on, why does my head hurt, why are there empty bottles everywhere and why was Michael on the phone… oh no… the phone he called last night!" Buffy moved and sat on the bed as the evening started coming back to her

Spike just smiled in amusement as her memory came flooding back and she turned to a rather amusing shade of green

"I was talking to Michael last night… we're going for dinner… I started drinking… then WE started drinking… we're going to a club… we're engaged… oh no he thinks we're engaged… Spike how could you let me tell him that?!"

Spike who was now sitting on a chair a few feet from Buffy lit up a cigarette and grinned

"I wasn't here luv, I left to give you and Mickey boy some privacy and I come back and you've made an honest man of me"

"This is not a laughing matter Spike, we're going out with them in like 6 hours and you're joking we haven't even got our story straight, and you've got nothing to wear" Buffy started pacing the room only adding to Spikes amusement at the whole situation "and… and you haven't explained why we were in bed – together – never mind the fact you and Michael are 'mates' now!"

"Look Buffy I hate to burst your bubble but although I'm finding this all rather funny I'm no more comfortable about this situation than you are and I'm not mates with Michael I'm merely being polite and as for waking up in bed with you – I don't know, I was drunk but you needn't worry we both had our clothes on anyway and it'd take more than a couple bottles of whisky before I'd contemplate trying to worm you out those tight panties of yours!" Spike smiled and took another puff of his cigarette

Buffy just stomped the ground in frustration and threw a cushion at Spike who laughed as she ran to the bathroom and proceeded to bring up the entire contents of her stomach.

Buffy re-emerged about an hour later showered and clean wearing a large white bathrobe and Spike was still sitting where she had left him

"Feeling better?" he looked up at her

"Yes, no thanks to you I mean you haven't even moved!" Buffy then turned and noticed the freshly made bed, the lack of empty bottles and the orange juice and dry toast on the table "… well apart from to tidy and get breakfast and… and don't look so smug!"

"Don't let it go to your head Slayer I got bored waiting on you beautifying yourself – and by the way you still look like shit and the clock is ticking" Spike tapped his watch smiling

Buffy just ignored him and sat down starting to eat her toast 

"So what we doing tonight then?" Spike moved over to the table and sat across from her; he had changed into black jeans and a black shirt

"Well first things first we gotta get you something to wear for tonight and then we gotta set a story"

"Sounds like a start" Spike pushed himself back in the seat and put his feet on the table "So how about my black jeans and my red shirt?"

Buffy laughed and then looked at Spike "Your kidding right?"

Spike looked down, "No, what's wrong with it?"

"You'll look like some Billy Idol reject from the eighties!"

"Hey!" Spike touched his hair "No Billy Idol jokes it was him that copied me, ok, bugger thought he was being smart – I should have let Drusilla eat him when she had the chance!"

Buffy laughed, "Okay, okay but really – you can't wear that" her voice took on a definite tone of seriousness in the second part of her sentence

"Fine so what, you want me to go in my birthday suit?"

"No!" Buffy raised her hand "Please no just give me an hour, I'll be back with something a little more suitable"

She ran into the bathroom and shoved on some jeans and a jumper grabbed her bag and ran out the door without another word

"Women!" 

Spike had fallen asleep and didn't even hear Buffy when she returned from her little shopping escapade.

"Spike? Oh Spike" Buffy stood next to the bed trying to wake him but he was dead to the world (sorry) "Spike get up you blonde, worthless excuse for a master vampire!" the holler was enough to make him fall out of bed for the second time that day

"Bloody hell woman what you trying to do – deafen me?"

"Nope, come on just get up it's 6:30 and we've got to do a dress rehearsal and then make up a pretend relationship history" Buffy walked away and returned a few seconds later with several bags "Now I can trust you to get ready on your own, can't I?"

"Very funny slayer – just bugger off and let me get changed" Spike made a face at her and she left

Spike opened the first bag and observing the contents was not totally disgusted, it was a pair of dark trousers, they were grey/black in colour, not quite Spikes usual but they weren't too bad, next package was even better a black shirt which complimented the trousers perfectly. Spike admired the shirt and although it wasn't silk he smiled, 

_'Not too bad Slayer, not too bad at all!'_

With only one small package left Spike opened it quite content, but what was inside did not amuse him in the least, boxer shorts. Not just any boxer shorts they were black silk boxers covered in red love hearts,

"Slayer!" Spike hollered, "I do not do novelty underwear!"

Buffy had been waiting outside anticipating his screams, which were pretty late in coming, 

"You don't like your outfit Spike?"

"No I don't mind the outfit, it's a bit too poofy for me, something that Angel might wear but it'll do I suppose, I do however have a problem with the underwear!" Spike held up the boxers and Buffy grinned 

"It was just a joke Spike" she snatched them from him "Anyway I think they're kinda cute, Angel used to have a pair just…"

"Slayer I don't even want to know!" Spike grabbed them back and ordered her out so he could try everything on "Leave so I can dress up like a poof!"

Buffy left and sat at the table eagerly awaiting the _'New'_ Spike. When he emerged moments later Buffy was more than pleasantly surprised. Spike stood in the doorway looking down at his attire unhappily, Buffy on the other hand smiled in satisfaction at turning the fashion victim into well, not so much of a victim. His shoulders were quite broad and his muscular upper body meant the shirt hung well, his slim waist and cute butt looked great in the trousers and the colours really suited him, much better than the usual tacky red shirt and mucky denims. Then she looked down and noticed the boots, those battered, dirty boots were nearly as old as Spike himself, and there were a few minor adjustments to be made to the outfit but nothing too drastic.

"Well that's an improvement" Buffy beamed at him

 "For once Slayer I'm glad I don't have a reflection – don't have to see how daft I actually look!" he mumbled, "I feel like an idiot"

Buffy walked towards him "Well Spike you feeling like an idiot can't be helped but at least you don't look like one now!"

"Hey!"

"Oh be quiet and take those hideous boots off and put on these shoes, oh and I nearly forgot here's a belt" she shoved the belt and shoebox into his arms, Spike opened the shoebox and slipped on the black leather loafers, Buffy stood back holding her chin "There's still something missing?"

"What now?" Spike was loosing patience with the little blonde

"Well you look… well you look kinda alright I suppose, there's just something I have to do" Buffy moved towards him, moving closer until they were about a foot apart, Spike was looking down at her as she stared at him intently, unsure of her motives he didn't move and then she leaned up and… and ruffled his hair, applying a little gel to her hand she proceeded to spike it up a little until she was happy with the result

"There, perfect!" she smiled, Spike was stunned, "I've ALWAYS wanted to do that and it looks a lot better" looking him up and down again "Yes, yes, you'll do fine" and with that she trotted away

Spike still stood there _'She was gonna, I thought she was gonna, she didn't, not that I care or anything anyway I mean… oh get a grip Spike!' _he internally scolded himself as he finally moved to sit down and have another smoke

"Right I better start getting ready and then we can go to the Hotel bar and wait for them" Buffy was shouting from the bedroom

"Umm… won't we be a little early it's only 7 o'clock"

"Yeah but I have to get ready and then we have to discuss _'our history'_, we're actually cutting it a bit fine if you ask me"

"Whatever you say boss!" Spike just stared into space _'How the hell do I get myself into these situations?!'_

"Hi there can I take your order?" 

Buffy looked up at the young waiter "I'll have a martini please and Spike…? Spike…? Spike will you please quit staring and tell the waiter what you want?"

"Huh?" Spike was in a daze, Buffy looked absolutely stunning she had on a scarlet red dress with a split that ran from the ankle to mid-thigh, it was classy, showing just enough, it ruffled at the chest and had spaghetti straps, the material hugged every curve complimenting her slender body. Her blonde hair was waved and tumbling over her shoulders, she was gorgeous.

"I wasn't staring, it's just your getting a huge zit on the end of your nose!" Spike grinned at the waiter who stared placidly "Smile mate, Christ, I'll have a beer and a whisky on the rocks"

The young waiter walked away and Buffy grabbed a spoon and began inspecting her nose in the shiny metal

"Jesus Slayer I was joking – I'm just not used to seeing you all dressed up"

"Right, sorry" Buffy smiled _'Suppose that's as near to a compliment as I'll get'_

The waiter brought their drinks over and they began discussing their 'relationship' 

"Right so first things first – where did we meet?" Buffy took a sip of her drink, the taste of alcohol reminded her of their previous night and she felt nauseous but soon shook it of with a second drink

"Well not school cos I'm British and he would have met me when he stayed in Sunnydale that time, anyway I suppose I look a little older than you"

"Yeah, well why are you in America anyway? He's gonna ask these kind of questions" Buffy was beginning to stress out "Shit, this so wasn't a good idea!" she took a gulp of her martini and excused herself to go to the ladies

"Yeah and for once it wasn't mine" Spike laughed as he finished his beer

"Ahem…" 

Spike heard the noise coming from behind him and turned to see a young boy standing behind him, he was like an even cheesier version of Captain Cardboard, he had the floppy hair and clean shaven good looks and wide grin of an all-American boy next door, it was at this point it clicked and Spike turned to look at him again

"Your Spike right?"

"Yeah and I take it your Michael?" Spike looked the kid up and down, that's exactly what he was, a kid

"Yeah pleased to meet you Spike" he took Spikes hand in a firm handshake

"Yeah likewise mate, likewise – sorry Buffy's just away to powder her nose"

"Oh ok, sorry we're early but we did try phoning your room and there was no answer – we decided to meet a bit earlier cos we're gonna go for a drive before the meal"

"Great!" Spike cringed through his now clenched teeth "So where's your old ball and chain then?"

"Penny is just coming she's just chatting to someone" Michael looked around awkwardly

Spike was unsure what to say or do and was eager for Buffy to return 

"Umm, please Michael sit down, we can have a drink here before we leave" 

"Sure" Michael nodded in agreement "I'll have a be…. Buffy!"

Suddenly Michael jumped out his chair and ran towards the now beaming Slayer who was halfway across the room, he hugged her and kissed her

"Oh Buffy you look… you look fantastic!" Michael took a step back and eyed her admiringly

"Yeah you too" Buffy squeezed his hand; Michael hadn't changed a bit he was still that handsome, nice, guy next door.

Spike watched the whole scene play in front of him and unfamiliar pangs rattled his inside,

'Capt Cardboard wannabe thinks he can stroll in here and be all "hi mate" and then try and steal my girf… oh right wait that's why we're here, so that he doesn't marry that what's-her-face'

Spike was so busy daydreaming he hadn't noticed Buffy and Michael returning to the table,

"Spike you've met Michael" Buffy smiled proudly at Michael like he was her prized puppy

"Yeah"

"Yeah we met, I knew it had to be Spike when I walked in" Michael grinned and turned to Spike "Yeah you've got a very British air about you"

Spike just smiled politely and then cringed internally as Michael pulled out a chair for Buffy to sit on

"Please excuse me for two seconds, I'm gonna go fetch Penny, won't be long"

Buffy smiled at him and Spike stared into his drink, Buffy waited until Michael was out of earshot 

"What the hell are we gonna do?" Buffy grabbed Spikes whisky and poured it down her throat with ease

"Have you ever seen a British show called 'Whose line is it anyway?'" Spike looked across the table at a bewildered Buffy

"What!? I really think we have more to worry us right now than some silly British TV show!" Buffy began to fidget

"No, you don't understand, it's an improvisation show, and that's what we're gonna have to do tonight – improvise!" Spike grabbed her hands to stop her fidgeting and looked up into her eyes "Okay, can we do that?"

Buffy looked up and was caught in the deep blue orbs that were Spikes eyes and nodded "Yeah, sure I can"

Buffy felt all tingly inside she quickly put it down to the alcohol

"Aww, now ain't that sweet!"

Buffy's head nearly turned 360 degrees when she heard that voice; she released Spike's hand

"Buffy Summers you haven't changed a bit well apart from the hair colour but I knew it was you" Penny ran towards her like a long-lost relative, flashing one of the most false smiles Spike had ever seen

Buffy sighed under her breath and turned around to face her, she too plastered on a smile 

"Penny! You look great!" Buffy was cringing inside as she hugged her

Spike thought this was one of the funniest things he'd ever seen and felt obliged to join in, he stood up and headed towards Penny

"Ahem… Buffy honey aren't you going to introduce us" Spike smiled a big giant oh-so-false-smile at the Slayer who nearly burst, she knew Spike was taking the piss and couldn't believe it

"Sure, Penelope this is my… fiancé Spike, Spike this is Penelope" 

Penelope smiled and offered her hand, which Spike took; he lifted her hand to his lips "Charmed"

"Why William you are a gentleman" Penelope smiled at Buffy who started spluttering and coughing, this was one of the most hilarious things she had EVER seen

They all sat around the table in the Hotel bar and ordered some drinks, Michael and Penny at on one side, Buffy and Spike on the opposite, after the usual pleasantries the dreaded interrogation began.

Spike looked over at the girl across the table, Penny was tall and had curly red hair that went half way down her back, fiery hair, fiery temperament. Her slim waist looked even slimmer due to her enhanced chest, Spike new real from fake and they were fake, she had a bright white smile and rosy lips, her dazzling blue eyes sparkled but still Spike looked at her and everything he saw was false, from the coloured contacts to fluoride enhanced grin. 

_'If this is what happens to women when they stay in L.A I'm glad we stay in Sunnydale!'_

Spikes train of thought was broken when Penny finally stopped talking about herself and her wedding

"God and here I am going on about my wedding!" Penny rose a hand to her chest "Michael you should have stopped me, I mean the reason we're out tonight is to celebrate for you guys!" Penny beamed across at Buffy and Spike

Buffy quickly slapped Spike's leg to try and get him out of his little daze

'Tell me he doesn't think she's hot! I mean she's blatantly flirting with him – not that I care but she's marrying Michael and that just isn't right and….'

"Not at all me and Spike are just glad to be here aren't we?" Buffy looked over at the vampire

"Yeah, we just hope you can come to our big day!" Spike grinned 

"Of course we wouldn't miss it for the world! But you're gonna have to tell us how it all happened, I mean how did you guys meet anyway?" Michael sat back and Buffy and Spike shifted uncomfortably in their chairs unsure who was going to begin, Spike took the initiative, he took Buffy's hand and looked in her eyes letting her know this was his call and he'd deal with the question. Buffy was getting worried, _'he'd better not ruin this, I'm not getting shown up in front of this snobby bel-air bitch!'_

"Well let me tell you it definitely wasn't love at first sight!" Spike smiled and Buffy nodded her head, laughing in agreement

"Your right there!"

"So did you guys meet at school?" Penny rested her chin on her slender hand as if she was really interested though they could both see right through her

"Umm no actually, I went to school in Britain and once I completed university I decided to come and see America, but I ran out of cash and had to go stay with my Uncle Rupert"

Buffy smiled catching on

Michael and Penny nodded

"… And well Uncle Rupert was the librarian at Sunnydale High were Buffy used to go and I had to earn my keep somehow so I started helping him in the library"

Penny began laughing, "You are not telling me you met Buffy in the library are you?"

Michael was slightly embarrassed by this outburst "Penny!"

"What, Buffy was never into books were you Buff?"

Buffy smiled and Spike squeezed her hand and hissed through his teeth "Rise above it Buffy!"

"Yeah that's true a bit like you really" she smiled

Spike could feel the tension building so he intervened "Anyway as I was saying I was helping out in the library and spent a lot of time in the school and a couple of students invited me to go to the Bronze, a local club and that's were we first met"

Michael and Penny nodded and Buffy smiled "Yeah but we really didn't hit it off at first, I thought he was ignorant and obnoxious"

Spike laughed externally but was cringing inside "Yeah and I thought you were an annoying little bugger, but anyway we were both seeing people at the time"

Penny was already getting bored but Michael wanted to know everything this whole engagement was a bolt out the blue and he wanted to suss everything out

"So how did you eventually become friends then?"

Buffy and Spike looked at each other – they had obviously agreed to lie but they were finding difficult to separate their lies from the reality that was their twisted 'friendship'

"Well Dru, that was my girlfriend, she left me and then I became rather ill, I suffer from a rare but treatable brain disorder, anyway Buffy took me under her wing and helped me to get over my loss of Dru and her and uncle Rupert nursed me back to health"

Spike thought this was funny, as did Buffy who struggled to keep her laugh in _'Nursed you – like force feeding you pig's blood while your handcuffed to a bath is nursing you!'_

"Well that's our Buffy all round good citizen!" Penny swirled her drink around in her glass and looked at her watch, she really wasn't in the mood to spend the whole night talking about Buffy and Spike's wondrous relationship so she interupted Michael and cut to the chase "So how did you two lovebirds eventually get together?"

Buffy decided to lay it on thick this time "Well one night we had all been at the Bronze and Spike had walked me home" Buffy took Spike's hands in hers and looked straight at him, letting him know she was gonna lay it on "I went to my bed and then I heard a noise and looked out my window and saw Spike climbing up my tree with one of Mrs Peterson's roses in his mouth when I opened the window he looked up and then lost his footing a fell" Spike and Michael laughed Penelope was not amused so Buffy continued "… so I ran downstairs and Spike was lying on my front lawn, my neighbours were all at their windows and my mum was standing with her arms crossed at the front door, and when I went to help him up he just looked up at me with those big blue eyes and said…" at this point Spike interupted

"… Buffy I love you, I've always loved you and I always will love you and she started to cry and that as they say is history!" Spike smiled at himself and Buffy leaned forward and whispered into his ear

"That was good, that was really good this improvisation stuff is funny! But your watching a bit too much Passions" and she leaned back a bit before planting a light peck on his lips for effect

"Now ain't that just sweet!" Penny looked at the supposedly smitten couple and felt like barfing "Can we go now?"

Michael was stunned. Buffy was so different she was never that affectionate with him and she did look radiant and was smiling constantly, she had always hated holding hands and whispering sweet nothings but he put it down to it being the man she was truly meant to be with.

"Yeah the cars outside" Michael turned to tell Buffy and Spike but they were just sitting gazing at each other "Ahem…"

"Sorry mate" Spike looked over at Michael "We'll be out in a minute"

Michael walked away and Penelope was already halfway to the car, she was so angry at seeing Buffy so happy, she'd hoped that the wedding would have made her all jealous and sad but obviously it didn't work she was in love with someone else as Penny thought about it Spike was sexy – in a British kinda way.

Once they were both out of earshot Buffy jumped out her chair clapping

"We were great – I mean we are sooooooooo… good at this, they really think we're in love!"

"Yup we got them hook, line and sinker!" Spike was happy she was so pleased but was finding this difficult, they'd spent so much time together and were enjoying themselves and kinda having fun but it was weird

'I do not fancy the Slayer – get a grip Spike you're both just acting and don't get carried away!'

"You're doing a great job Spike – we could get an Oscar for this performance! Now she's getting real pissed so if we just keep it going we'll be fine," Buffy grinned as they headed out the bar

'We are so good – so realistic – too realistic – wait Buffy get a grip, Spike doesn't like you and you most certainly don't like Spike, do you? No, no, no! It's an act a big act! A really good act!'

Buffy stopped in the reception "Wait we should set ground rules!"

Spike looked at her questioningly

"You know like no groping, no full on kissing just little pecks here and there when appropriate and we can hold hands and stuff – I mean it's gotta look realistic without totally grocing ourselves out"

Spike's jaw hit the floor "Like I'd want to grope you anyway Slayer, and remember I'm doing this as a favour not for my own pleasure like this is how I want to spend my time"

Buffy shook her head "Get a grip Spike I was just saying now lets not argue and go get them, we're gonna really noise her up tonight!"

Spike nodded "Yeah and just wait to the wedding – I'll liven that up let me tell you – not been to a real wedding for, well for a few decades anyway"

"Spike remember and behave yourself" Buffy slapped his arm 

"Always – scouts honour!" Spike put his hand up

Buffy looked up at him raising an eyebrow "You didn't go to scouts Spike!"

"Yeah but I ate a few – does that count?" he grinned cheekily

"Not funny Spike!" Buffy looked up at him ready to give him an earful or a stake-ful when she noticed the dazed look on his face

"What's wrong Spike?"

"That may not have been funny but this is fuckin hilarious!" 

"What is?" Buffy was confused so Spike pointed to the large white limousine parked in front of the hotel

"Oh my god!" Buffy raised her hand to her mouth more to muffle out her laughter than her shock

In front of them was long white limousine with the words 'Congratulations on your engagement Buffy and Spike!' written on BOTH sides in bright red

"Yeah oh my god!" Spike couldn't believe this

"You like it?" Michael stepped out the rear door

Buffy and Spike just nodded as the stared

"Good – we've got it for the night – we're going for a drive around L.A and then to the restaurant and then the club!" Michael opened the door and motioned them inside the large car "We'll be travelling in style tonight!"

"Yeah we sure are!" Buffy smiled at Michael before turning to Spike "I need another drink!"

"Oh yeah me too, me to!"

Sorry it took so long to update but I've got a lot on at the moment but I've already started the next chapter. Now they couldn't go to L.A and not visit or 'bump' into Angel and Co now could they? Thanks for all the reviews I really appreciate them and keep them coming they're the best encouragement a writer can get!


	5. It Could Have Been Worse

TITLE: It Could Have Been Worse

AUTHOR: Cheeky Chick

RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: None of this belongs to me! Honest!

SUMMARY: Buffy, Spike, Michael and Penny head out! We learn how Spike supposedly proposed to Buffy and they bump into some friends – wonder who that is?

AUTHORS NOTES: Sorry this is taking so long – I'm so busy! Anyway I'm not to sure about this chapter I done it to help de-stress me during a heavy duty caffine fuelled midnight study session so I may need to edit it at a later date, anyway I would like to dedicate this to all my reviewers! You guys are all great especially Daystar Flame, DragonMouse, Flame Shadow, Terry Fall, Cosmic, Destiney, Nutty Ginger, MsLessa, Angela M, Heavenly Slayer, Lindsay, Dawn and Jasmine Storm (sorry if I missed anyone out). And just as a matter of interest I stole Spike's proposal from my friend who was propositioned in a similar way and that couple have already reached their 1st year anniversary trust me I had to wear the puffy pink dress!

"I did good didn't I Angel" Cordelia beamed at her boss as they drove home from another battle

"Yeah Cordy you done great" Angel smiled proudly at his seer who was grinning like the cat that got the cream, so much so that she hadn't even noticed that she was covered from head to toe in purple demon goo.

Earlier on that day the A-Team had been sitting around the hotel when Cordelia was hit with one of her visions detailing a demon attack in downtown L.A, they immediately left to deal with it and located the demons in an abandoned building in the area. Cordelia who had been training with Angel on a regular basis recently was allowed to tag along with the guys and Fred stayed at the Hyperion to hold the fort. When they eventually found the demons Cordelia managed to surprise all her male colleagues by swiftly and skilfully killing one of the demons by decapitation using her trusty new sword, however before the battle Angel failed to mention this was the messiest method of killing this particular demon and Gunn and him both opted for a good, clean neck break.

"Oh Angel aren't I so good, aren't I just the best thing since sliced bread!" the mocking voice belonged to a bitter Wesley who was sitting in back with Gunn

On hearing Wesley mocking her Cordelia's head whipped around and she growled at the ex-watcher "Oh sorry Wesley I forgot about all the hard work you just put in there, I mean it must have been so difficult and traumatic for you, falling over your  own feet and knocking yourself out, it's not an easy task – we just couldn't have done it without you Wes! Oh sorry yes we can and yes we did!" Cordelia smiled and turned back to face the front

Angel was dying to laugh and Gunn was already in hysterics

"Well I never!" the Englishman proclaimed "I'll have you know Cordelia Chase that while you were still dancing around with your silly pom poms I was…"

At this point everyone rolled their eyes and Cordelia rose her chin high in the air "Yes, I, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, all round good guy, ex-watcher and don't forget Rogue Demon Hunter could take on an army single handed with nothing but me and my… dusty old books!" it was topped off with Cordelia's unique fake English accent

"Ha, man she's good!" Gunn was clutching his stomach with laughter and Angel was even smiling

"Well… excuse me" Wesley turned and growled at his friend in the back seat 

"What man?" Gunn shrugged his shoulders and received an even sterner look from Wesley; Gunn raised his hands in the air "Ok, ok my bad!"

"Yes it most certainly is 'your bad'" Wesley crossed his arms and looked at Cordelia "Anyway I don't know what you're laughing at? At least I'm not covered with the insides of a mucus demon never mind the fact you smell like one too!"

"Eh??" Cordelia looked confused and then looked down at her purple slime covered clothes "Ewww!!!"

Angel smiled, she had been that excited about killing the demon she hadn't even noticed 

"No way I even chipped a nail – crap!" Cordelia started to inspect her fingernails and tried to run her fingers through her hair but was unsuccessful due to the fact it too was all slimy "This is sooo groce!"

It was times like this Angel saw a glimpse of the old Queen C, the one everybody loved to hate, she was selfish, manipulative and really didn't give a damn about anyone apart from herself. It was times like these that he got a chance to see how much Cordelia had changed, she was now selfless and caring, she was his best friend and his seer but the old remnants of her Sunnydale days came through sometimes; but then she wouldn't be Cordelia without them.

"Angel, come on you drive like my grandfather! Put your foot on the gas I need a shower!" Cordelia nudged his shoulder

"Ok, ok – anyway, I'm older than your grandfather" Angel grinned "Look lets go back to the Hyperion, pick up Fred and then go to Caritas?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Gunn nodded in approval

"Sure that's cool – just as long as I get to shower!" Cordelia rubbed some slime on Angel's cheek and he screwed up his face but she just smiled at him

"Well I have a lot of work to be getting on with and…" Wesley was still in a strop

"Aw come on Wes…!" they all said in unison

"Oh alright – but I'm not singing!" Wesley smiled

Cordelia arched her eyebrow "Yeah that's what you said last time!"

Gunn nodded "Yeah man – what was that you sung anyway?"

"Gosh I don't remember either Gunn I think it went a little like…" Cordelia looked at Gunn

Wesley blushed as they both burst into song

"It took all the strength I had not to fall apart…" they then mumbled their way into the chorus "So go, walk out the door, just turn around now cos your not welcome anymore..." they both made dancing motions with their hands and arms, Angel just laughed at the comic duo as Wesley went a very dark shade of crimson

"Gloria Gaynor! That's it!" Gunn nodded

"Very funny!" Wesley just crossed his arms as they continued driving

After all the hilarity they became quiet, they were nearly home and had just stopped at a junction

"Oh. My. God!" Cordelia rubbed her eyes and put her hand to her head, Angel immediately panicked

"Is it a vision Cordy?" he asked as he grasped her arms

Wesley leaned over the seat passing her painkillers "What do you see?"

Cordelia rubbed her eyes again just to make sure she wasn't seeing things "Umm I think you guys better look at this!"

Angel released her arms "Your not having a vision?"

"Umm no, but I think you guys will want to see this"

"See what girl? What you talkin about?" Gunn was confused, as was everyone else

"Are you guys blind? Look!" Cordelia pointed out the window at the large white limousine that had just begun to move again and was driving right past them

Gunn was even more confused "Buffy and Spike – congratulations on your engagement!" 

Angels chin hit the floor as he gawked at the car

Wesley rubbed his eyes in disbelief much like Cordelia had

"Hey wait Angel isn't your old squeeze called Buffy?" Gunn leaned over so he had a better view of the limo, and he noticed Angel was squeezing the steering wheel very very tightly

"Yes" he answered placidly

"And do you know a Spike?"

"Yes"

"Who?"

"He's my grand-childe!" Angel answered calmly

Cordelia noticed Angel was beginning to freak out so she tried to relieve the situation "Well it could be some other Buffy and Spike?!"

"Cordelia far be it for me to dismiss another of your fine insights but how many Buffy's are there in California? And how many Spikes are there in California? And how likely is it that these Spike's and Buffy's would get engaged? You do the math" Wesley was still shocked but hoped Cordelia was right

She shook her head "Well Math never was my forte!" 

"Look there could be a perfectly good explanation for all this anyway," Wesley reasoned

"Mmmm" Angel still hadn't spoken a word

"Yeah" Cordelia and Gunn agreed

"Willow could have done a spell wrong," Wesley offered

"Or, or maybe this Spike's guys Visa's run out – you know marriage of convenience!" Gunn shrugged his shoulders at the three faces that now stared at him "What? Have none of you seen Green Card?"

They all shook their heads 

"He's a vampire not an illegal immigrant!"

Suddenly car horns started blaring the lights were changed and they hadn't noticed and the limo was driving away

"After that Limo!" they all screamed in unison as they drove after the long white vehicle

"Michael" Buffy looked over at her friend and then admired the classy interior of the limo "You really didn't have to do this"

Michael just smiled in response and poured champagne handing a glass to Penny, then Buffy and then Spike

"Of course I did, I'm just glad you're happy" he squeezed his fiancés hand "We're just glad you're happy – aren't we honey"

Penny looked over at the couple; she was clearly bored by the evening's events because they didn't revolve around her "Yeah we're sure happy for ya Buff"

Spike was feeling incredibly uncomfortable '_I'm a Master vampire, in a frickin limo driving around L.A with Captain Cardboard II, a bloody well beauty queen turned Barbie doll, a Slayer fiancé whose hand is on my knee and I'm drinking champagne – that's a poofs drink!'_

"No Michael Buffy's right – you REALLY shouldn't have" Spike stretched his arm around Buffy _'Why did I do that?'_

"Not that we're not incredibly grateful" Buffy leaned into Spike and rested her head on his shoulder _'Why did I do that?'_

_'Acting – just go along!' _they both thought but apparently they were getting a little too comfortable with their roles

"Aww… you guys are real cute" Penny felt sick to the back teeth seeing her this happy – this was supposed to be her time not Buffy's "Me and Michael used to be like that – but it's a phase it'll pass, then you can see if your really in it for the long haul"

Michael could sense the tension building between Buffy and Penelope so he decided a change of subject was in order "So eh… what do you guys think of L.A so far?"

"Well honestly mate we haven't really seen much of it yet" Spike put his champagne down 

"Yeah been kinda busy" Buffy lied as she twisted a lock of her hair

Michael nodded his head and Penelope fingered her engagement ring in boredom

"Come to think of it" Penelope got a glint in her eye as she looked over at Buffy "Where is your engagement ring Buffy"

Buffy and Spike both looked at one another 

"Well… erm… we thought that well… we thought we'd take advantage of our visit and pick one here" Spike said a-matter-of –factly

"Right – so you proposed without a ring?" Penelope arched an eyebrow "Michael gave me this huge diamond when he proposed on my birthday at daddy's ski-lodge in Aspen – the ring belonged to his grandmother you see, it could be worth up to $250,000"

Buffy and Spike just rolled their eyes – everything just had to be about her

"How very…" _'Cheesy, sickening, boring…the list goes on!'_ "…Romantic, yes very romantic" Spike decided to behave himself

"Yes well it's very pretty" Buffy eyed the engagement ring _'Shit – never thought about a ring!'_

This was not turning out to be the most pleasant of evenings – the bad feeling between Buffy and Penelope was obvious and Michael couldn't wait to get out the limo, get the meal by with and then go to the club and go home – this so was not a good idea. Michael had thought that they had all grown up but the bad feelings never seemed to pass, his thoughts were interupted by Penny

"And how did Spike propose to you then Buffy?" Penelope was beginning to have fun now 

"Now there's a story!" Spike laughed and turned grinning to Buffy

_'Shit what's he gonna do?'_

Spike leaned back in his seat and Penelope for once, was all ears

"Well it all started one Friday night a few months back" Spike took a drink of the champagne "Me, Buffy, Anya and Xander, they're… our friends, anyway we all decided to go to the Bronze and it was pay day for Xander so we all got rather drunk"

"Ha, you proposed when you were drunk?" Penny looked disgusted and Buffy cringed

"Pen stop interrupting Spike" Michael was getting pissed off, Penelope obliged her fiancé and remained silent

"No what I was gonna say was it was on that night I realised she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with!" Spike looked at her, noting the anxiety in her eyes, she didn't have a clue what he was gonna say and neither did he "Anyway, it was open mic night so Xander and I got up and sung to the ladies dedicating our song to them, and then they sung to us, it was all very drunken but still, quite sweet… and then at the end of the song we told them over the mic that we loved them and that we would marry them"

Buffy was curious as to where the hell this was going

"So you got drunk at some silly little club, went on stage, humiliated yourself by singing and telling everyone you loved your girlfriend then what?" Penelope didn't even look up from filing her nails

"Well then we went home and…"

Buffy had to intervene before he said something "Well needless to say he didn't actually propose that night he just announced his intention to propose" 

"So when did you propose then?" Michael was a tad confused

"Well this is the best part! Isn't it luv?" Spike looked at Buffy who nodded nervously "Within the next few weeks I was visiting L.A a lot – you know to see my Grandfather and stuff and one day about three weeks later I came home and went to Sunnydale UC straight away, Buffy had English Lit that morning and I went to her classroom window in the middle of her lesson and pulled a moon at her and her class and old professor 'Crackpot' Adams" Spike burst out laughing

"Umm… 'Pulled a moon'?" Penny looked over at her companions confused 

Spike laughed "You know, pulled a moon, bared my butt, flashed my ass at her and her class"

"And this is funny why?" Penelope looked down her surgically altered nose at them

"It was funny my dear because I had a tattoo on my butt saying Buffy will you please be my wife! I got it done when I went to L.A that day! And I went straight to her classroom and proposed to her through the window with a bare bum!"

"How can you take a proposal like that seriously?" Penelope looked disgusted

"Well that's my sense of humour love, and Buffy knows that but I've not finished yet"

Buffy was shocked, horrified and in hysterics all at the same time

Spike too was laughing "Anyway I pulled up my pants, climbed through the window and got down in one knee in front of the students and told her 'Buffy in _all _my life I have never met anyone as unique as you, as perfect as you, as beautiful as you – you are truly special and I can't picture my life without you in it, I would rather be dead, like really, really dead than live without you, so would you Buffy Summers please do me the honour of becoming my wife?' and Buffy with an extremely red face accepted"

At this point Buffy and Michael started howling with laughter and Spike soon joined, Penelope was however not in the least amused

Michael was doubled over "Do you still have it – the tattoo?"

Buffy looked horrified but was laughing too much to care "Yeah, he's still got it!"

"And always will!" Spike leaned forward slowly, he forgot Penny and Michael were even there and it only seemed to be him and the Slayer; he kissed her lightly on the lips and looked her in the eye "Always!"

Buffy's legs were for some reason like jelly and she looked Spike straight in the eye, his beautiful blue eyes and whispered "Always" then for some strange reason, one beyond even her comprehension she leaned up, putting one hand to the side of his face and kissed him, slowly she surrounded his lips with hers and kissed him, it was only for a second but it felt like longer

'Huh?' Spike was confused but it felt kinda good

'Why am I kissing Spike? Acting that's it' Buffy was confused 'Shit we should get an Academy Award for this'

Buffy pulled away and met the questioning eyes of Spike

Michael was so surprised, Buffy and Spike were so happy, so in love. It was strange and he, on some level, was jealous, but not of Buffy but of their relationship

"That was some way to propose Spike, very… original!" Michael smiled and shook the vamps hand

"That's real sweet" Penelope said in her 'oh-I'm-so-not-interested-voice' "But we're here"

"Huh" Buffy looked at her, her mind still reeling from the little kiss her and Spike had just shared "Right the meal"

The car came to a stop and Penelope climbed out followed quickly by Michael, leaving Buffy and Spike alone

"That was some story" Buffy grinned "How the hell did you think of that?"

Spike just looked at her "I dunno, it just came out somehow – but they totally bought it… that and the kiss…"

Buffy looked downward "Yeah that was pretty convincing stuff… but hey we're really good actors!" Buffy didn't want to read into it too much, there were too many factors involved; the champagne, the unique situation they were in and the whole proposal story, she really didn't want to make things any more complicated than they already were and anyway it was all part of the plan.

Spike grinned "Yeah we should keep goin like this cos Little-Miss-Cosmetic-Surgery is getting real pissed!"

They were interupted "Are you lovebirds coming or what?" Michael stuck his head back in the door

Buffy looked up at him "Yeah we're just coming" she winked at Spike

Spike moved towards the door and offered his hand to Buffy to help her out the car, she stepped out and they turned towards the restaurant – without releasing each other's hands.

They walked towards Michael and Penny and they stood at the entrance

"I'm just gonna nip inside and check that everything's okay with our reservations" Michael stepped inside and was followed out moments later by a little man wearing a white jacket

"Vincent, I would like you to meet my friend Buffy and her fiancé Spike" Michael looked from the little man and then to the couple 

"Bonjourno! I am very please to meet you both, I have heard a lot about you from Mister Michael!" Vincent grabbed them both in a hasty embrace and kissed Buffy's hand "Well I heard it all today but never mind better late than never" the little Italian man then turned to Penny "Ah Miss Penelope, you look radiant as always!"

Penny pretended to be embarrassed and put her hand to her chest "Vincent you make me blush"

"I am very much looking forward to the wedding" Vincent smiled at Michael

"Yes well we're having a night off from our wedding we're out to celebrate Buffy and Spikes engagement tonight" 

Penelope rolled her eyes at Michael comment

"And Miss Buffy, Mister Spike I too am happy for you both, you shall have a wonderful evening tonight!" Vincent was grinning at them both "In fact!" and with that he ran inside

"What is he doing?" Buffy looked at Michael

Michael was laughing, "He's gone to get the camera"

Penelope even cracked a slight smile, she was very fond of the little guy "He does it every time!"

"Alfonso! Alfonso! Hurry up!" Vincent ran out the restaurant quickly followed by a slender teenager "Alfonso! A picture, a picture!"

He grouped them all together, Buffy and Spike at one side and Penny and Michael at the other, as he stood in the middle, the young boy took the picture and then said something in Italian before heading indoors

"Ahh… thank you much!" Vincent nodded his head "Now we go!"

Buffy and Spike laughed, he was an odd little man but very likeable, they all headed indoors but they stopped just before the door and Michael and Penny began kissing. Buffy and Spike just looked at each other, Vincent simply looked on proudly

He turned to Buffy and Spike "They had their first date here! I like to think I played a small part in their happiness"

"Oh right" Spike was confused "So they get all hot and heavy every time they come here?"

Buffy slapped his chest and Vincent laughed

"No, no, no I make all young couples have kiss before they come in, well the one's I know anyway" Vincent laughed "And you two are next"

Michael and Penny had stopped kissing "Honestly Vincent must we every time?" Penny kissed his cheek

"Yes Miss Penny, it is so I know the love is still there I can tell you see, my papa was going to call me Romeo"

They all laughed and then fell silent as all eyes fell on Buffy and Spike

"Oh. My. God. They're getting out the limo," Cordelia gasped as she stared out the window squinting her eyes "It is Buffy!"

"Yeah and that's Spike" Wesley looked at the vampire holding Buffy's hand "Ok and he's holding Buffy's hand"

"That means that Buffy and Spike ARE engaged!" Cordelia lifted her hand to her mouth in shock

Gunn looked at the couple standing outside the restaurant "What's with that dude's hair?"

Cordelia just looked at Gunn "That is so not the issue right now!"

"Ok but Angel that girl, she is HOT!" Gunn looked at his boss who totally blanked him "Angel, Angel, man you still with us, are you alright?"

Angel kept staring straight ahead "Yes, I see Buffy and Spike, I see Buffy and Spike holding hands after getting out of a limo plastered with a congratulations message about their engagement, but apart from that everything is just peachy!"

"Umm… now Angel I'd just like to reiterate the fact that there could be a perfectly good explanation for this" Wesley continued staring in disbelief

"Spike looks different!" Cordelia stared at the vampire 

"Yes I must agree" Wesley stared too

"I mean when did he get so se…" Angel turned and growled at her "… stylish, when did he get so stylish I mean look what he's wearing!"

Angel ignored her comment and turned his attention back to his ex and his grand-childe

Gunn scoffed "That is so not the issue right now!"

Cordelia stared at him and then looked at a very pissed off looking Angel and followed his gaze

At this point Buffy and Spike walked towards the tall red head and the guy she was with who had also got out the limo and they stood under the canopy at the front of the building, the A-Team stared in silence across the road. The young man they were with went inside and was followed out shortly after by a little fat man, they chatted and then he left and returned with a waiter who took their photograph

Gunn was so confused looking "What the hell's goin on?"

They all shook their heads watching the scene in front of them. As they watched the red head and her boyfriend began to kiss passionately as Buffy, Spike and the other man looked on

"Get a room!" Cordelia screwed up her nose

"Shhh…." Wesley was still staring

"They can't hear me Wes!" Cordelia growled at her friend and then turned her attention back to the street "Wait a minute…."

Outside the restaurant all eyes were on Buffy and Spike, the chef guy was saying something to them and the vampire and the Slayer looked at one another awkwardly

"Uh-oh!" Cordelia mumbled

"Uh-oh what?" Gunn looked at the Seer

She knew what was coming. Spike turned and looked down at Buffy whispering something in her ear before straightening back up, she looked back up at him, he then lifted his finger and placed it under her chin elevating he face slightly as he leaned his head down and began kissing her, Buffy's hands wriggled around Spikes neck and he placed his hands on her waist as they continued.

Cordelia's chin was hitting the floor 

Wesley was cringing

Gunn was still confused

Angel looked down at his lap and every time he lifted it to check and see if they were finished they were still standing there kissing

"So you must kiss Miss Buffy now!" Vincent smiled oblivious

"Yeah come on its tradition!" Michael joined in

Buffy and Spike just grinned uneasily and he leaned down and pecked her cheek whispering her ear "What we gonna bloody do?" he was nervous, this so wasn't part of the deal

"I dunno, we'll, well we're just gonna have to do it!" she was feeling very uneasy about this

"Come on I want to eat sometime this year!" Penelope crossed her arms and stared at them impatiently

Spike cleared his throat and let go of Buffy's hand and moved closer towards her, he could hear her heartbeat racing and her breathing was getting heavier and more frequent

Buffy stepped towards Spike as he released her hand from his shaky grip and he moved closer to her, her chest was pounding and her breathing was becoming deeper

Spike just lifted his hand and placed a finger under her chin searching her eyes to make sure everything was okay

Buffy stared into Spike's deep blue eyes and noting the anxiety gave him a look letting him know it was okay

Then they were kissing a REAL kiss, his mouth captured hers, his cold mouth against her hot one, the whole world stopped, they moved even closer together and Buffy moved her arms and placed them so they were hooked around Spike's neck as he put his arms around her waist pulling her close as his tongue gently moved into her mouth, just as they were beginning to enjoy it Vincent cleared his throat

"Aherm…" Vincent smiled at the blushing couple

Buffy reached up and lifted her finger to her swollen lips, her face flushed  "Sorry, erm, we…."

Vincent laughed "No need to explain Miss Buffy!"

Spike smiled and Michael laughed, Penny was just getting impatient

"Well it is no problem, the love is very much there… like I said, I see these things and it is even better when every kiss seems like the first, you will be very happy I know it, the love is there, just like Miss Penny and Mr Michael" Vincent shook Spikes hand and winked at him "You know you not let that one go" and Vincent headed inwards mumbling something about his pasta being too soft

"Well looks like we can go eat now" Penelope took Michaels arm and the doorman held the door open for them

"Oh my god, now they do need to get a room!" Gunn pointed at Buffy and Spike

"Right that's it!" Angel jumped out the convertible and began walking across the street

Cordelia was 2 seconds behind him "Angel wait – now don't do anything stupid!"

Gunn and Wesley followed their lead and they all ran towards the oblivious couple

Cordelia kept chasing him "Angel… Angel… I'm telling you, you silly big brooding vampire that if you don't stop in your tracks right now I'll, well I'll kick your ass!"

Angel stopped and stared at his seer "What?"

"You heard!" Cordelia put her hand on her hip "Now lets handle this with a little maturity and dignity!"

Angel arched an eyebrow at her "Okay I just mean don't kick his ass quite yet"

Angel nodded and they all walked towards the door.

Buffy and Spike were heading indoors when suddenly Spike's head instinctively turned around "Shit!"

Buffy looked up at Spike confused "What's wrong?"

"Angel!"

"What do you mean Angel!?" Buffy's face dropped and they both turned round and found themselves looking at Angel, a really dirty slimy Cordelia, a scruffy, bleeding Wesley and some young black guy they didn't recognise

Buffy's legs felt weak and she leaned on Spike for support

Michael noticed a rather strange looking group of people walking straight towards them and Buffy and Spike seemed to recognise them

"Problem?" Michael looked at them

Buffy and Spike ignored him

Penelope was intrigued "What's going on now?"

The four strangers arrived and stood staring at the couple, Angel simply stared at Buffy who had paled considerably and Spike who was looking a cross between smug and nervous

"Well fancy meeting you two here!" Angel crossed his arms

Buffy and Spike just stared at Angel in shock – he did not look happy – well he never looked happy but this was an all new level of looking not happy

Cordelia and Wes looked at the Slayer "Hey Buff"

Buffy stared at the slime covered cheerleader and the ex-watcher "Hey Cordy, hey Wes!"

Buffy moved away from Spike "Look Angel I can explain… just not right now!"

Angel scoffed "Oh right sorry! So when did you two get ENGAGED!" he looked at Spike in disgust

Penelope suddenly interupted

"Buffy, Spike aren't you going to introduce us to your… friends" 

Buffy stared at the red head bitterly

"Penelope, Michael this is Angel"

"Please to meet you Angel" Penelope extended her hand to the handsome stranger and he shook it and Michael did the same

"Likewise" Angel mumbled

"This is Cordy" Buffy nodded towards the goo covered girl

Cordy extended her hand and then realised when they all started staring at her that she was still covered in Demon slime and quickly retracted it

Penelope stared at the slime-covered girl 

"Mmm… charmed" Penelope just looked her up and down

"Yes well I was… I was just… I was just leaving" Cordelia went to leave when Angel grabbed her arm

"Stay" and she obeyed

"Is that some kind of fashion statement!" Penelope looked down at Cordelia

"No, I was at the carnival and got dunked okay! What's your excuse?" Cordy stared at her outfit

Buffy finished her introductions and they all stood awkwardly in silence

"So would either of you care to explain what the hell is going on and why you are here, why you are holding hands, why you got out a limo saying you were engaged and why you are standing in the middle of L.A kissing!" Angel was fuming

"Look Peaches this has got nothing to do with you so bugger off! We can explain but not now!" Spike didn't want to cause Buffy any harm and Angel could ruin everything

Angel clenched his fist as did Spike, Buffy leaped in front of Spike and Cordelia jumped in front of Angel

"Look you two violence won't solve anything!" Cordelia pushed Angel backwards

"Yeah" Buffy agreed

Buffy then turned looking at Cordelia and whispered, "Why are you covered in Mucus Demon?"

"Oh I killed it" Cordelia smiled proudly

"You kill demons now?" Buffy looked kinda surprised

"Yeah – we'll catch up later – and trust me by the looks of things Buff we got a LOT to catch up on" Cordelia then turned her attention back to the situation at hand, Angel had stormed away and now walked back towards them shaking his head 

Michael and Penelope stood staring in amazement, Penny grinned _'Maybe this night wasn't going to be so boring after all!'_

"So wait a minute, I leave Sunnydale because I love you and want you to have a normal life and you get together with HIM!" Angel spat his words out venomously

"Excuse me I was quite happy with my life that was your choice not mine, I wasn't even asked what the hell I wanted so don't start Angel" Buffy nearly flew for Angel this time and Spike held her back, he left her, he made the choice not her and that annoyed her "You have no right to preach to me!"

"It was for the best Buffy and you know it, I mean I was literally in hell for god's sake!" 

Penny was stunned "Hell? Is she really that bad to go out with?"

Michael shook his head he was just so stunned about the events unfolding round about him

Angel couldn't believe this "And now your getting married to Spike, I mean that's low! Are you that desperate I mean I 'd have been happier if you'd married Riley"

That was it Spike was in a rage, he knew he wasn't marrying the Slayer but Angel didn't so he had no right to say these things "Look Peaches a lot had changed since the last time you were in Sunnydale, I'm on their side now and I have been for a long time – it's weird it just kinda happened and look we shouldn't talk about this now!" Spike was trying to keep calm but he wanted to kick Angel's ass

"This has got nothing to do with you!" Angel punched him square on the jaw 

Spike went flying backwards landing on his back, Buffy ran towards him and kneeled beside him as he nursed his jaw

"Look Angel just leave – I can't believe you are doing this" the tears began to fall down Buffy's face

"Oh my God Michael – where the hell do you meet these people!" Penelope shook her head and covered her face with her hand as a crowd gathered around them

Cordelia really didn't like this girl "Yeah good idea I'd cover my face too, especially with that cheap nose job who's your surgeon? Dr Frankenstein?!"

"Well I never!" Penelope stared at Cordelia who walked away flicking her hair and covering the red-head in slime in the process

Michael laughed unintentionally; he did not have a clue what was going on

"Michael Healy I cannot believe you find this funny" Penelope stomped her feet in a tantrum

Everyone seemed to be arguing

"Angel, please leave!" Buffy got up and punched Angel

Cordelia turned around; she caught Buffy punching Angel and cringed 

"Buffy stop it!" Cordelia screamed as she held onto Angel "Look Buffy this is neither the time nor the place!" Cordelia stared at her

Buffy just looked at Angel "What's this got to do with her? If it's got nothing to do with Spike then what's it got to do with her"

"Excuse me but she's my best friend!" Angel looked at Cordelia "This has got everything to do with her!"

"Yeah and Spike, Spike's my fiance!" Buffy screamed _'Well he's not really but they don't know that!'_

Wesley was getting annoyed and he stood up and walked into the middle of the ramble "STOP!!!!!"

Everyone turned and looked at the timid Englishman who had just shook L.A to its foundations

"Cordelia, Angel, Gunn, get back to the car, we're going back to the Hotel! This is not the time nor the place to be doing this, Buffy and Spike, you should come round tomorrow – we have to discuss this!" Wesley handed them his card

"Cordelia stop fighting with Buffy's friend, and Angel stop arguing with Spike – we're leaving!" Wesley grabbed Angel's sleeve and Cordelia's arm and dragged them towards the car

Penelope, Michael, Buffy and Spike all stood in the middle of the street watching as the fang gang walked towards the black convertible on the other side of the street

"Would someone care to explain what the hell just went on???" Penelope wiped a piece of slime from her forehead

Buffy was still in shock and was upset from the confrontation; Spike took Buffy's arm

"Look Buffy and Angel used to date, we're kinda related…. "

Penelope looked at him "Kinda related?"

"… we're… we're cousins and don't get on anymore, anyway we hadn't told him we were dating never mind that we were engaged and it's just been a shock for him finding out like that"

Michael went towards Buffy "You okay Lizzy Beth?"

Buffy nodded "Yeah, I just need to go home"

"Sure" Michael nodded towards the driver "Take them back to the hotel please" Michael then turned back to Buffy "I'm sorry – I'll call you tomorrow"

"No Michael – I'm sorry!" Buffy hugged Michael and walked back to the limo

"Thanks mate" Spike shook Michael's hand and then went towards the limo following Buffy

"Thanks for a wonderful evening" Penelope shouted as the car drove away

Buffy and Spike sat in the car in silence

"Spike, everything's ruined! The weddings ruined! Angel and Cordelia hate me and… and I dunno what I'm gonna do!"

"Well we could still salvage things with the wedding, they seemed to by that story and we're gonna go talk to Angel tomorrow and explain the situation and meanwhile we've got a limo and a mini bar!"

Spike flashed a smile at Buffy 

"Come on love it could be worse!"

Buffy smiled a little and nodded

"Yeah – but not much!"

Wesley was driving with Gunn in the passenger seat, Angel and Cordelia were in the back – Cordelia was trying to clean up the cut on Angel's cheek and Angel was slumped in the chair

"I still don't believe this!" Angel was confused "It's just… unbelievable!"

"Yeah I know but we it could have been worse!" Cordelia just shrugged her shoulders 

"Mmm but I still thinks there's something fishy going on – Spike was being way to nice" Wesley continued driving "And why wouldn't they have phoned to tell us, why wouldn't Giles have phoned me, I mean I don't really see him standing for it; his Slayer marrying a souless ex-master demon"

"Yeah definetely something weird, but is he souless?" Gunn was still confused

"Of course he's souless I mean he hasn't been cursed or anything" Wesley reasoned

Cordelia wasn't sure "Yeah but Wes you need a soul to love right? And looking back on him and Buffy, the way they were before they seen us and then how protective he was, if he doesn't love her, he really cares and they're like meant to be mortal enemies"

"Well we'll soon find out" Angel muttered

Cordelia wiped her some slime from her bangs "Anyway I thougth it went pretty well considering"

They all just stared at her

"What" she looked at them "What?"

There you go what'd ya think? Hope you like it and in the next chapter Michael has something interesting to tell Buffy. Buffy and Spike try to explain thing to the fang gang, even afterwards they are still wary due to the amazing performance put on plus and depending on how it goes Spike and Buffy may go shopping for their wedding outfits! 


	6. Dejavu

TITLE: Deja-vu

AUTHOR: Cheeky Chick

RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: None of this belongs to me it all belongs to Josh! All lyrics are not my property but those of the people who sing them and the people who own the people who sing them

AUTHORS NOTES: Right so this has taken me so long to update and I am sorry but it was my b'day and I went away on holiday! But I will finish it now and I'll finish it soon, I promise. I couldn't squeeze everything into this chapter that I wanted so Buffy and Spike go shopping in the next chapter. 

SUMMARY: Buffy and Spike head over to Angel's to explain the 'engagement'

FEEDBACK: You guys have been great so don't hold out on me now! And when reviewing could you please let me know if you think I should make this an A/C fic as well as a B/S 

"Spike!" the muffled voice came from under a mountain of quilts, covers and cushions

Buffy quickly sat up in bed pushing all the bed linen off her. Immediately realising it was probably not a good idea due to the dizzy feeling and thumping headache that suddenly came over her, she quickly lay back down and rose again, slowly, a few minutes later 

"Oh my head, it hurts! Tell me why my head hurts so bad"

Spike had to laugh, the all-powerful Slayer, once his arch enemy who was now sitting up in her bed wearing her pink and blue piggy pyjamas, holding her Mr Gordo pig in one hand and her head in the other

"You've got a hangover" Spike scoffed

Buffy turned and tried to focus on the vampire who was sitting in the armchair in the corner 

"Yes I figured that one out for myself Sherlock!"

Spike laughed

"But why, why do I have a hangover, why were we drinking again, why????" Buffy lay back down and then realisation hit her and she fell out the bed

Spike grinned as he lost sight of her, a moment later her head popped up from the side of the bed, her hair was over her face and she looked at his grinning face and tried to pull her hair back into place 

"Angel???"

Spike simply nodded "Yes I vaguely remember bumping into Peaches and I don't pretend to be Sherlock Holmes or anything but I believe that's why you got drunk"

Buffy threw a pillow at Spike "Very funny"

"It was actually, Peaches, the May Queen and Giles Jr think that we're engaged!"

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!" Buffy stood up slowly a horrified expression overcoming her pale features "They saw us… they saw us…" Buffy blushed slightly as she thought of the previous night "… kissing, doing the whole kissing and the… kissing and the couple thing!"

Spike just rolled his eyes, "Don't fret luv we'll sort it all out today, we'll go round there and tell them… well tell them the truth"

Buffy simply nodded "We really have to stop this!"

"Stop what?" Spike was confused

"Stop waking up still half drunk, struggling to remember what's happened the night before I mean that's 2 days in a row! I mean I don't drink… that often… in fact I only drink when I'm with you…"

Spike interupted "Mistake… you only drink when you feel like drowning your sorrows and it just happens I'm always there when you feel like doing it!"

Buffy arched an eyebrow "Coincidence? I think not!"

"Very funny"

Buffy got out of bed and passed by the vampire growling, "Come on get ready it's 12:30 and we've got a lot to do today!"

Spike just pulled his duster over his head "Yeah well just wake me up when you get back"

"I sooo don't think so boyo, you're coming with me!" Buffy yanked the duster off Spike "So get up and get ready! We'll go downstairs and get lunch and then we'll, well we should go see Penny and Michael and try and convince them that we ARE a couple but that we just have some psychotic friends, then I suppose we should go see Angel and tell him…"

Spike gave her one of his classic looks as he arched his eyebrow "Tell him what luv?"

Buffy walked towards the bathroom her arms flaying "I don't know… something… the truth… I don't know!"

Spike sighed exasperated "Whatever"

Buffy stood under the steaming hot shower letting the water run over her, what had she got herself into now?

'What are you playing at Buffy, Angel went AWOL last night' 

Buffy shuddered at the thought

'I mean I'm sure driving around L.A and seeing me in a passionate clinch with Spike was not something he expected or wanted to see and what the hell am I supposed to tell him now'

Buffy shook her head as she rinsed out her shampoo

'Passionate clinch? Well a kiss a really… bad, bad kiss… lips of Spike… bad! All acting, really good acting, I knew those drama classes would pay off!'

Spike waited until he heard the shower running and began getting up and getting ready

'God damn Slayer thinks I'm her lap dog!' 

Spike pulled some fresh jeans, some dark blue ones and he put on a pale blue cotton shirt Buffy had bought 

'Mind you it was worth it just to see the look on Angel's face – he really thinks we're engaged'

Spike began laughing to himself as he pulled his clothes on 

'Must have been convincing though, they were all taken in by it – even that little Italian fella – what a joke – I mean do we look like a couple, sure we're trying but I didn't think they'd believe us – must have been that… that… that kiss, that was really… well weird, not bad weird… not good weird either… just weird!'

Spike just sat down and waited on the Slayer, he lit a cigarette and looked around the room 

'Just plain weird'

Buffy emerged from the shower half an hour later, Spike had already been downstairs and sneaked into the kitchen to heat up his liquid lunch and grabbed his car keys from reception

"Well at last!" Spike huffed as she stepped out the bathroom

"Shut up Spike!"

"Touchy!" Spike looked at her, she looked a lot better, she had changed into black trousers and her black boots, a red top and her leather jacket, Spike grinned looking down at his own attire "Your dressed more like a vampire than I am!"

Buffy then noticed what Spike was wearing and smiled

'At least he's making an effort'

"Very funny! Come on let's go – I'm starving" Buffy turned towards the door quickly followed by Spike

They made their way through the hotel, which had a mall, restaurants and other conveniences connected to it

"I better not get fried Slayer!"

"Spike the mall is undercover I already checked it out – no overly large windows and it's connected to the hotel so we don't need to venture too far" Buffy pulled Spike through the foyer of the hotel towards the shops

"What about the DeSoto? I really think I should stay here, you know where it's safe – I mean you can hard to take a pile of dust to the wedding

"Spike!" Buffy growled "Look the parking lot is underneath the hotel and your windows are tinted or painted or whatever it was you done to them so don't try to wriggle out of this! You are coming with me!"

Spike was defeated "Right okay but don't say I didn't warn you!"

Buffy just laughed and then spotted a nice little eatery she liked the look off "Here, we can eat here!" and she dragged the reluctant vampire indoors

"Do they sell Chicken wings – because I'm not really a food kinda person?" Buffy ignored him and continued pulling him inside

She found a secluded table in the corner so they could discuss things, once seated they sat and read their menus in silence "Right" Buffy put her menu down

"Right" Spike did the same

"What we gonna do?"

"What about?"

"Don't act dumb Spike – I mean what we gonna do about Angel"

Spike shrugged "I thought you wanted to tell him the truth"

"Oh I do, I do, but I mean he's either gonna think that I'm really desperate and sad"

Spike looked offended 

"No I don't mean it like that, I just mean this whole situation. Anyway he's either gonna think that or he's not gonna believe us, I mean we were pretty… convincing"

"Well all we can do is try"

At this point the waiter came over

"Sir, Madam would you like any drinks? We have a lovely selection of wine, in particular the house white is…"

"No!" Buffy shook her head "No alcohol, just two sodas please"

The waiter looked bewildered

"Okay well are you ready to order your meal?"

They both nodded 

"What will you have madam?"

"Umm can I have the steak with the wild mushroom sauce and the dressed potatoes"

"Certainly madam and how would you like your steak cooked?"

"Medium please"

"And sir what would you like?"

"You don't sell chicken wings do you?"

"I'm afraid not sir"

"Okay well I'll have steak too then"

"And what would you like with that?"

"Nothing I just want steak – a big one!"

The waiter looked confused "Okay and how would you like that cooked"

Spike looked up at the waiter smiling "Very rare, I want to be able to still hear it moo-ing!" Spike grinned as he passed his menu to the bewildered waiter "Thanks mate"

Buffy was mortified

The waiter walked away and headed towards the kitchen 'What an odd couple'

They left the restaurant and hour later and headed towards the car, on the way there they passed a jewellers and Spike caught Buffy gawking in the window

"Whatcha doin Slayer?"

Buffy was caught off guard "Nothing!"

Spike grinned "You sure?"

"Yes now get a move on we're going to Angels" Buffy started to quicken her walking pace, the sooner they got this over and done with the better.

"So when do you think they'll come around?" Cordelia was fidgeting with her hair

"I don't know" Angel didn't remove his eyes from the paper he was reading

"They will come though won't they?" she moved towards Angel

"I don't know" 

"So do you think they'll…." Cordelia was interupted by the phone ringing on her desk, she huffed and then swirled in her char to answer it "Hi, Angel Investigations, we help the helpless, Cordelia Chase vision girl speaking, how may I help you?"

Angel grinned slightly at his seer; 'she sure has a way with words'

"Oh it's you Lorne" Cordelia sounded disappointed "No I wasn't expecting someone else, I was hoping, not expecting…. Yes he's here…. well not really… just now….  oh not again… I thought we told him!… right now?… but… but we're waiting on visitors… right okay…okay!… see ya soon Lorne"

Cordelia put the phone back on its cradle

Angel looked up "Lorne?"

Cordelia nodded

"What did he want?"

Cordelia picked up her jacket "He wants us to go over to the bar"

Angel put down his paper "What for?"

"You know how Wes went over this morning to go over some sort of transcript with him, well Gunn went with him and after they got the transcripty thing finished they decided to have a drink and then another and now they're both drunk!" Cordelia pulled her jacket on

Angel just shook his head, "Lorne didn't give them Marguerites again did he?"

Cordelia nodded, "I'm afraid so, and it's not even 3 o'clock yet!"

Angel laughed "Right we'll sort it but I'm gonna tell Fred we're going out, I'll take the sewers, you take the convertible"

"Slayer, tell me again why I'm letting you drive my car, my classic car!" Spike peered from under his blanket

Buffy laughed as she pulled up outside the hotel "Because your car windows are needing re-painted and you can't drive if you have a blanket over your head"

"Oh right"

The car came to a halt and Buffy stopped and stared out the window. The hotel was so grand looking; it was very gothic, very much suited to Angel. She opened the door and stepped outside Spike crawled out behind her and gladly noted that the building was providing enough shade to prevent him turning to dust.

"Hey, hey not bad!" Spike nodded in admiration "Well it's better than my crypt"

"A smelly dumpster is better than your crypt Spike" Buffy stared at him as she walked up the stairs, stopping to read the gold plate in the doorway

"Private Investigators, Angel Investigations, We Help The Helpless. Angel, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Cordelia Chase and Charles Gunn Associates" 

"We help the helpless?" Spike mocked "Oh pul-ease!"

"That had to be Cordelia" Buffy laughed nervously; her stomach was full of butterflies

"Yes it was actually" 

Buffy and Spike turned on their heels, the voice from the shadows had caught them of guard. However they relaxed when the speaker stepped out from the doorway; a mousy looking girl, dressed in rather drab clothes, her dark hair was tied up in a messy bun and her glasses slipping down her nose. The young girl who was perhaps in her late teens early twenties, looked at the ground, she seemed very shy

"God if Giles ever had a daughter, she would so be you!" Spike looked at the young girl "Have you ever questioned your parentage?"

Buffy slapped Spike's chest and he muttered an apology under his breath

"Sorry about that" Buffy offered the girl her hand "I'm…"

"You're Buffy" the girl interupted before she turned to Spike "and… and your Spike, you guys are engaged"

"Yeah well that's kinda right" Buffy looked at Spike who shrugged his shoulders "Umm… who are you and how do you know so much about us"

Fred blushed "Oh I'm so sorry I live here, so Wes kinda tells me a lotta stuff, I'm Fred"

Spike just looked at her "As in Flintstone?"

"No, as in Wini-FRED" she looked at the couple she had heard so much about and they weren't quite what she was expecting, her thoughts were interupted by Buffy's voice

"So you live here? Is there anyone at home?"

Fred shook her head, "No they, Cordy and Angel are away over to Caritas to pick up Wes and Gunn"

Buffy and Spike just shared a bewildered look "Caritas?"

"Yeah it's a demon karaoke bar owned by our friend Lorne, I think he's an empath demon or something, anyway we go there and hang out a lot and we sometimes sing"

Buffy and Spike shared a look that didn't go unnoticed by the girl

"We sing because Lorne can tell you things about your future and stuff when he hears you singing - he reads your aura"

"Right" they both nodded and Buffy looked indoors "Umm…can we come in and wait?"

Fred nodded "Sure" and led them into the reception

They walked in through the large entrance and immediately Buffy and Spike stared in awe at the interior of the Hyperion, it was even more impressive from the inside, the bottom floor was offices and desks where it appeared the brunt of the work was done and upstairs seemed to be doors, lot and lots of doors

"Welcome" Fred signalled towards the couch

"Nice place you guys got here" Spike commented as he looked around

"Yeah it is, this is the reception and over there is Wesley's office and there is Angel's and right next door is Cordy's, me and Gunn we just kinda float about but I spend a lot of time in the library and Wes lets me borrow his office if I need to"

Buffy had so many questions she didn't know where to begin and this girl wouldn't shut up

"Cordelia has an office?" Buffy looked around again

"Yeah, I mean she is Angel's Seer and all"

"His Seer?" Buffy was getting more confused by the minute, Spike too

"Yeah she is Angel's connection to the PTB" Fred sat down opposite them "The PTB send Cordy these visions of people in trouble and then she tells Angel and then we go save them, but it's all very painful her head feels like it's gonna explode and she hold her head like this" Fred grabbed the back of her head and screwed up her face "And then she usually falls down?"

"How did… why… when…?"

Spike looked over at the bewildered Slayer and intervened "I think what she's trying to say is when did Cordelia start getting the visions and why is she getting them"

Fred bit her top lip "Oh I really do talk to much sometimes" she looked over and then continued, "Did you know Angel's friend Doyle?"

Buffy nodded "Yeah the Irish guy"

"Yes he passed the visions onto her before he died and she's had them ever since, Angel needs these visions to help him defeat evil and it will lead him to his path of redemption"

Spike simply nodded "Well she's come a long way from head cheerleader"

"Oh yeah she's very dedicated and selfless" Fred continued "Well that's what Angel says anyway, he says she's nothing like the old her and that's she's really grown and changed and is a wonderful person now and he trusts her with his life"

Buffy simply nodded 'Okay that's one question out the way only about another 5 million to go'

Spike seemed to be on the same wavelength as Buffy thankfully "So I heard you say you stay here with Angel are you and him you know…"

Fred looked confused "Are we what?"

"You know… like goin out?" Spike took a cigarette out his pocket 

Fred's face dropped "Oh god no"

Spike took a drag of his cigarette and looked at Buffy waiting to see her expression of relief but it never came "So why do you live here then?"

Fred sat up straight "Angel rescued me from Pylea, it's in another dimension – a really horrid place, and he brought me back here and tried to re-adjust me to life here so he let me stay and I guess I kinda work for him now, I'm a scientist"

'Damn this girl is all sorts of weird' Spike just looked at her nodding "Right – so not dating then"

"No I would never date Angel" Fred kind of laughed

Buffy looked at the girl "Why?"

"Well because him and Cordy have Kye-Rumption"

"Kye-what???"

Spike and Buffy shook their heads 

"It's a term I learned in Pylea, it's used to describe two great heroes who meet in battle and recognise their mutual fate. And Cordy and Angel are both heroes!"

Buffy shuffled onto the edge of her seat so she was nearer Fred "And when you say mutual fate you mean…"

"I mean they have Moira, it's when two larger than life souls, come together"

"Right and you learned all this is an alternate dimension?" Spike noticed the look on Buffy's face

"Yeah" Fred nodded

"Right"

Spike and Buffy shared a look 'This girl's crazy'

Buffy fiddles with her hair "So are… are Cordelia and Angel like dating?"

Fred just laughed "Oh god no! They don't even know they've got Kye-Rumption yet"

Spike just shook his head, "Look pet enough with the ky... kyrup… bloody hell, whatever it is you call it, it sounds like a bowel disorder"

Buffy laughed, trying to cover the emotions she was feeling, "Yeah Fred we got a lot to do today, so do you know how long they're gonna be?"

Fred shook her head and then a smile spread across her face, "No, but I could take you to them if you want"

Buffy and Spike looked at each other and shrugged there shoulders, "Sure why not, no time like the present"

Fred clapped her hands, she loved Caritas "Okay, wait till I get my jacket" 

Fred sprinted from room to room looking for something to put on and left Spike and Buffy in reception; they both sat in silence, trying to process everything they had learned about their comrades and trying to deal with the fact that in 10 minutes they were going to have a BIG confrontation with the same people in of all places a demon karaoke bar!

Spike shifted in his seat and noticed Buffy staring into space  "So… erm what you wanna do about Angel?"

Buffy shrugged her shoulders "Dunno" and continued staring

"Look are you okay?" he looked over at he Slayer who stared right back

"About what?"

"Look Buffy you've already went through loosing Michael this week, and now well it seems Angel and cheerleader are set to hook up and you guys had the full on love thing, love of his unlife and all that goin on"

Buffy shrugged again "I know, and the fact Michael's getting married has upset me but for so many different reasons, I mean I hate Penelope and I love Michael, but he was my first love and best friend so I guess I always will. I hate the fact we have drifted apart, and I think I'm on some level, jealous" Buffy looked to the ground "I mean he's achieved a normality in his life that well, I never will. He's gonna get the white picket fence, with the kids and all the trimmings I'm just envious"

Spike nodded in understanding, "But with Angel?"

Buffy looked up at Spike, he understood her when no one else did and he was a whole lot better at the talking and advice thing than she ever gave him credit for

"Well with Angel, it's different, I mean I love him, some part of me will always be in love with Angel, we have such a history together. Difference is I like Cordy, it seems like she's changed, a lot. But I just didn't think he'd ever fall in love with anyone else, especially not one of my friends, mind you, she's far more his friend than she ever was mine – funny how things turn out. I mean the thing is I'm not quite as upset or mad about it as I thought I'd be"

Buffy stared at the walls of the Hyperion trying to imagine the life her ex-lover and his gang of demon hunters, scientists and seers lived

"Do you believe in fate?" Spike broke the silence

"I dunno, never really thought about it"

Spike stood up and walked around "I do"

Buffy looked up at him questioningly 

"Think about it luv, if Dru hadn't turned me I would have lived such a drab, boring existence seeing out all my days in that dusty old bookstore pining after Cecily"

Buffy was confused "Yeah and instead you led the life of a murdering fiend"

Spike looked hurt, "Well at least I got to see things, experience things, I got to live even though I was dead, I never would have been able to travel the world or experience the wonder that is the 20th century if that night hadn't happened"

"I think I kinda know what you mean"

"And if that silly Initiative hadn't put that chip in my head, I wouldn't be here with you, or even in L.A, I'd probably be…"

Buffy laughed, "Dust?"

Spike turned and cocked an eyebrow giving her one of his classic grins, "Well not necessarily, I mean you could have dusted me so many times before but didn't and that was before the chip so… look Slayer all I'm trying to say is fate does play a big part in everyone's life, everything happens for a reason and what's meant for you won't go past you"

Buffy nodded, _'Shit – when did Spike start making sense?'_

Spike moved and sat back down next to her "You get it?"

She smiled "I get it but I still feel crappy!"

They both laughed, and Spike looked over at the girl next to him "This is one of those times where I gotta give you a hug ain't it?"

Buffy smiled "Well this was a conversation I should have had with a girlfriend, not my vampire ex-enemy or 'fiancé' but if Willow was here she'd hug me"

Spike looked at her, she looked sad "Okay well Willow's in Sunnydale so I guess I'm gonna have to do, but bear with me it's been a while and genuine affection isn't my forte"

Buffy laughed, "Hey" Spike smiled "I got you to grin – wohoo!"

She laughed and just leaned into him and he enveloped her in a comfortable, non-awkward and friendly hug

"Better?" he looked down at her blonde head

"It helps" she smiled into his broad chest

"Well looky what we have here!" the loud voice blasted from behind the oblivious Buffy and Spike, who quickly spun around and found themselves facing a less than amused Angel

"Angel… I… we can explain everything!" Buffy looked at Angel who was standing staring at her with his arms crossed over his chest

"Yes well you both will but will you both please stop groping each other for a second!" Angel nodded towards them

Buffy and Spike looked at each other and noticed neither had let go and they were still in an embrace, they stepped away from one another and shifted from one foot to another awkwardly as Angel started to walk around them

"Hey guys!" Fred ran down the stairwell pulling on her jacket "I'm ready to leave now…" her voice trailed off when she noticed the scene in reception, she looked at Angel who was looking a little angry, "Angel? You're back already? This means we don't get to go to Caritas!"

Angel looked up the stairs "Fred, would you mind giving us a moment, I'll shout on you when Cordy gets back with Gunn and Wes, and I promise I'll take you to Caritas"

Fred smiled satisfied with the agreement and ran back towards her room

"Now where were we?" Angel turned back to his grand-childe and his ex-lover, "I mean as if it isn't bad enough that I catch you two getting all hot and steamy in a street in the middle of L.A but now your doing it in MY home!"

Buffy threw her arms in the air in frustration, "Look Angel if you would sit down for 2 minutes and listen to us you'd be pretty surprised!"

Spike nodded and slipped a cigarette between his lips, "Yeah listen to the Slayer, she knows what she's talking about"

Angel scoffed, took his jacket off, and sat on top of the desk that sat in the reception, "Ok humour me!"

Buffy started to pace the room, "Right well for starters we're not engaged! It's all an act"

Angel unfolded his arms and rested his hands at either side of him and looked at Spike who nodded, "It's all true mate"

"Ok, I don't believe you but what's your reason?"

Buffy began pacing the room, Angel chose not to look at her and stared at the doorway waiting on his friends, however Spikes eyes followed her every move, she was fiddling with her fingers and nodding her head a lot a she explained the situation, she was so nervous

"So I needed a date, a PRETEND date and well Spike obliged, I really didn't want to go alone"

Angel looked at them both confused, "And what exactly did Spike have to gain out of this?"

"Nothing but a headache by the looks of it! Look Peaches, I owed her, I owe her a lot so I'm repaying a debt, ok?"

"Mmm, whatever! But what about all the kissing and the engagement?"

Buffy sighed and sat down, Angel remained on the desk and Spike strolled around the room. Buffy explained how she was somehow pressured into telling them they were engaged and how they had to kiss to keep up the pretence, after she had finished the entire story she looked up

"And that is honestly how it all happened!"

Angel didn't look up "Right"

"Honest!"

"But when I came in and you two were all over one another, and the tension between you two, it's just unbelievable!" Angel stood and looked them both up and down "There is something going on between you two, I can tell, I don't know if I can believe you"

Buffy was exasperated, she was slowly losing patience with the vampire "Look Angel that's the truth Like it or not, I have no reason not to tell you! If I was dating Spike then that's my business, not yours, we finished a long time ago, so if I wanted to date Spike, or kiss Spike or marry Spike and there would be nothing you could do about it, because it has nothing to do with you, just like you and Cordy have nothing to do with me!"

Angel and Spike both looked at Buffy shocked, steam was coming out her ears

"What?" Angle looked at her "How does it not have anything to do with me? Me and you were, I was your first, we were in love and he's like Spike and he's evil… what about me and Cordy, we work together and we're friends – nothing else"

Buffy smiled "Just like me and Spike! And he's not evil, well not the way he used to be he has a chip" Buffy tapped his head "He can't hurt anyone, he drinks pig blood and he helps us, he helps us a lot. I can't count the number of times he's saved my life, my friend's lives, my family's lives, he's an honorary Scooby now and I trust him. Nothing you say will change that – he's changed and if you stopped being so self-obsessed for like 2 seconds you'd see that!"

Spike looked at Buffy, his chin was literally on the floor, he couldn't believed what she had just said if he didn't know better he would swear a tear was threatening to wet his eye. Angel was likewise shocked by this outburst he couldn't believe she was actually saying these things, they had once fought side by side against him and here she was sticking up for him, defending him, basically choosing Spike over him. 

All of a sudden Cordelia burst in the door attempting to hold up a rather intoxicated Wesley she was quickly followed by Lorne who was doing the same with Gunn. Wesley and Gunn were both singing Gloria Gaynor. Cordelia and Lorne dragged them into reception and promptly dropped them with a 'thump' on the floor. Lorne looked down at Gunn

"Sweetie you really are gonna have to lose some of that excess weight!"

Cordelia laughed and then noticed they had visitors "Spike, Buffy, how are you both and Angel"

"Hey Cordelia" Buffy smiled at her

"Angel how did you get home so quick?" Cordelia was confused 

"Sewers aren't really as busy as the streets of L.A" Lorne grinned

"Yeah true, Cordelia" Angel looked to his Seer and signalled her to come over "Buffy has just told me the most interesting story"

Lorne followed Cordelia over towards the two strangers "Isn't anyone gonna introduce me?"

Cordelia looked at Spike and Buffy who had seated themselves at separate ends of the couch, "Lorne this is Buffy and Spike, Buffy, Spike this is Lorne he owns…"

"Yeah Fred filled us in, a demon karaoke bar – nice concept mate, maybe I'll drop by sometime"

Lorne grinned "Yeah all demons welcome!"

"So" Cordelia looked around

She was interupted by Gunn and Wes who had managed to get up and make there way towards the rest of the group

"So Buffy?" Wes slurred "What does old Rupert say about you and Spikey over there, I mean he can't even walk you down the aisle! I mean a church wedding is a no-no I take, as is a beach wedding, so where you getting married?"

Buffy was getting peeved, as was Spike, she rested her hand on his arm to try and calm him. Cordelia rolled her eyes and excused herself to go get Fred as Gunn and Wes continued their joke

"How about a graveyard!" Gunn burst in and they both laughed and rolled around the floor

Angel growled under his breath "Lorne do you let these two drink" he looked down at his two friend who were now sprawled on the reception floor

"Look can we just gather everyone together so we can explain to everyone at the same time?" Buffy looked at Angel with tired eyes

"Ok" Angel looked upstairs "Cordy? Cordy, come down and bring Fred"

Cordelia returned with Fred and at the sight of the young scientist Gunn and Wesley were instantly silenced and they both stared at her contently, Cordelia grinned to herself, 

"Thought that might shut them up!" she then jumped up on the desk next to Angel "So, I don't mean to pry but eh… what's going on?"

"I believe Buffy is about to explain", Angel and Cordy sat on the desk, Lorne leaned against a nearby pillar, Fred, Wes and Gunn all sat on the floor and stared at Buffy and Spike as Buffy began to explain the entire story

"About 2 weeks ago I got an invitation and…."

About 45 minutes, 100 questions, 50 accusations, 3 toilet breaks and 12 cigarettes later Buffy finished the story.

Angel looked at Cordelia who stared straight back at him "Told you there was something weird going on!"

Angel shrugged his shoulders "I don't believe them!"

Cordelia jumped off the desk "Oh Angel don't be so childish, of course they are telling the truth, they have no reason not to!"

Angel turned to Wes and Gunn for support and found them snoozing on the floor, Fred just moaned that she wanted Taco's and Lorne looked in deep thought

"Lorne!" Angel jumped off the desk towards his demonic friend "You can tell me if they're telling the truth!"

Buffy, Spike and Cordelia all looked at Angel as if he were mad "What?"

"Lorne can read people can't he? Well read them and see if they're telling the truth" Angel looked at his friend hopefully

"Hey, hey, hey!" Spike stood up "No fair!"

Buffy stood next to him "Yeah!"

Angel stepped back "If you have nothing to hide then there shouldn't be a problem"

Buffy and Spike looked at each other, they weren't sure if they had something to hide, they had been spending so much time together and had been pretending to be a couple that the line between that and friendship had became blurred

"Well if we're getting read then so are you and the cheerleader!" Spike grinned

Lorne began rubbing his temples in frustration

Cordelia looked confused "Umm… why do me and Angel need to be read?"

Spike laughed "Ha! like you two don't know, sitting there making moon eyes at each other, pretending to be friends when you know there's more, you two are kyr-rupted or kye something or other and…."

Angel stood up "Where did you hear that word? Fred!?"

Fred shrank into a corner "Sorry I just…I didn't mean?"

"Angel what is everyone talking about, me and you, we're just…. Aren't we?" Cordelia began blushing

"STOPPPPP!!!!!!!" Lorne screamed, "Please be quiet!"

Everyone stood up straight and stared at the usually timid demon

"Angel, Cordelia sit here!" he pointed to a couch "Blondie and the Slayer you two sit here" he seated them on the opposite couch "Fred honey, you drag they two into an office" Fred nodded and stared dragging Wes away

Lorne approached the two silent couples

"Buffy and Spike you will sing and then Cordelia and Angel will sing – duets please - and then I will read you both and tell you what I believe to be appropriate"

Spike threw his arms in the air "I ain't singing!"

"Knew you had something to hide!" Angel stood up

"Look we have nothing to hide but I don't see why we have to sing to prove it" Buffy growled at her ex

"It's just that well, before Lorne can read your aura you have to sing", Cordelia stood in between the arguing vampire and Slayer "So before any of us can prove or disprove anything we're gonna have to sing"

"Fine then, we'll sing!" Buffy plopped herself back onto the couch next to Spike who was cringing

Cordelia sat next to Angel on one couch with Spike and Buffy sitting on the opposite side of the coffee table on another. Lorne shook his head and began mumbling to himself something about getting new friends as he walked towards the CD player. 

"Buffy I can't sing" 

Buffy shook her head "Spike, I may be good at saving the world but when it comes to singing I sound like… well for lack of a better word… shit!"

Spike laughed "Well that has come as little comfort because now it's gonna sound even worse because we both can't sing!"

Lorne came back with a stack of CD's and grin on his face, the two couples were looking rather scared, as was he, he knew what a terrible singer Angel was and really wasn't looking forward to his performance

Angel rubbed his hands together "Right so what we singing?" 

"Ahh well I'm afraid you have a very limited CD collection" Lorne looked down "So you won't be singing duets after all, so instead of singing with the person your gonna have to sing to the person"

Angel stood up "Wait can't we just sing a song together"

Lorne shook his head "No, due to your not-so-extensive CD collection you barely have any duet songs so… you'll not be doing one as none of them are suitable, instead you'll be kinda serenading each other"

Angel and Spike buried their heads in their hands and Cordelia and Buffy cringed

"So Cordelia sweetie, your up first" Lorne put his hand out to Cordelia and pulled her up "Angel you sit on the end of the coffee table and Cordelia you can stand anywhere you want in this area here" Lorne motioned to the rest of the reception as Angel sat at the edge of the table "Just as long as you can see Angel and he can see you, also try and maintain eye contact – it really helps"

Cordelia laughed and stood a few feet away from Angel "I don't why I'm doing this I mean we're just friends, so Lorne what am I singing?"

"Well sweetie good news is this, because I don't have my karaoke machine you can sing what you know of the verses but you need to sing the chorus so I can read you properly, but bear in mind the only CD's you had were a couple of your lovey dovey one's and a couple of Wesley's" Lorne shook his head "That boy doesn't have good taste – in anything!"

"Quit stalling what am I singing Lorne!" Cordelia crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Angel who was still sitting on the edge of the coffee table, then to Spike and Buffy who were looking a little pissed off

"Angel"

"What?" the vampire looked at the empath

"No Cordelia is singing the song Angel, I thought it was appropriate!" Lorne gave Cordelia the CD "Do you know the song"

"Yeah it's by Sarah McLaughlin I love it, Wesley bought me it for my Christmas" Cordelia smiled

"Can we hurry it along a little we kinda got places to be!" Spike huffed 

Angel growled at Spike who was silenced and then he turned his attention back to his Seer "Okay Cordy on you go"

Cordelia smiled at Angel as Lorne pressed play and she began to sing

_Spend all your time waiting, for that second chance_

For a break that would make it okay 

_There's always some reason to feel not good enough_

_And it's hard at the end of the day_

_I need some distraction_

_Oh beautiful release_

_Memory seeps from my veins_

_Let me be empty, oh and weightless and maybe_

_I'll find some peace tonight_

Spike and Buffy looked at her stunned, she sung beautifully and the song was lovely, however Angel didn't look surprised in the slightest as the pretty Brunette sung the moving song to him, he knew she was talented, Lorne though looked a little over–emotional as she continued and he began to read her

(Chorus)

In the arms of an Angel 

_Fly away from here_

_From this dark, cold hotel room_

_And the endlessness that you fear_

_You are pulled from the wreckage_

_Of your silent reverie_

_You're in the arms of the Angel_

_May you find some comfort here_

So tired of the straight line And everywhere you turn 

_There's vultures and thieves at your back_

_And then storm keeps on twisting_

_You keep on building the lies_

_That you make up for all that you lack_

_It don't make no difference_

_Escaping one last time_

_It's easier to believe, in this sweet madness_

_Oh this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees_

Cordelia went on to complete the last chorus and Lorne was wiping his eyes with a blue handkerchief, Angel was looking on at his best friend proudly and she was smiling widely at him as she sung to him

"Well that was just beautiful honey!" Lorne put his arm around her, but Cordelia just got straight to the point 

"Did you read me? Cos if you did then I just want to say I told you so!"

Lorne shook his head "I will tell you all together" he sat Cordelia down back on the couch "Okay Angel your turn and you will be singing a little number by Mr Iglesias!"

Angel just looked at Lorne "Who?"

"Enrique Iglesias, son of Julio Iglesias, Latino superstars!" Lorne hit his head on his hand

Angel just shook his head "I dunno"

"Look if I play this song you just sing along to the bits you know, you'll remember some of it I play it in Caritas sometimes"

Cordelia sat in anticipation and Buffy and Spike nearly burst into a fit of giggles as 'Hero' came on, Angel looked bewildered and then began to join in

Lorne smiled at himself satisfied, this song was perfect for they two, maybe Wesley's CD collection wasn't so bad after all

Would you dance, if I asked you to dance? Would you run and never look back? 

_Would you cry, if you saw me cryin?_

_Would you save my soul, tonight?_

They all stared at Angel he wasn't the best of singers but he wasn't doing too badly 

Would you tremble if I touched your lips? 

_Would you laugh?_

_Please tell me this_

_Now would you die, for the one you loved?_

_Hold me in your arms, tonight_

_I can be your hero, baby_

_I can kiss away the pain_

_I will stand by you forever_

_You can take my breath away_

Cordelia couldn't help but laugh, he was mumbling through some of the lines but he was doing okay as he looked over at her he kind of smiled and then continued

Would you swear that you'd always be mine? Or would you lie? 

_Would you run and hide?_

_Am I in too deep?_

_Have I lost my mind?_

_I don't care…_

_You are here tonight._

_I can be your hero, baby_

_I can kiss away the pain_

_I will stand by you forever_

_You can take my breath away_

_I can be your hero_

Angel suddenly stopped "Look Lorne is that enough because I really don't know any more of the words and…"

"Yes Angel that is quite sufficient" Lorne signalled him back to his seat

"That was great Angel!" Cordelia squeezed his arm "Honest"

Spike scoffed "Yeah it'd be okay if you were deaf but unfortunately, we're not!"

Buffy slapped his chest, "Shut up!"

"Well Spike it's our turn to hear you anyway" Lorne grabbed his arm and dragged him onto the floor "And Buffy you come over here honey and sit down"

"Damn poofy idea anyway, I'm not singing no poofy song though something by the sex pistols or something!"

Buffy put her head in her hands and Lorne shook his head "Something with lyrics would be better perhaps"

Angel and Cordelia sat on the couch together glad that their turn was over with

"So what you want me to sing then?" Spike tucked his hands into his duster pockets

"Well I thought you'd say that so how about something by say the Goo Goo Dolls - Iris?"

Spike just shrugged his shoulders "Sure whatever! But I hope you know I'm only doing this to prove a point and then we're outta here cos I got stuff to… do!"

Angel shook his head "Shut up Spike and sing the song!"

Buffy nodded "Hey you'll know this one I play it on the jukebox in the Bronze all the time"

"You ready?" Lorne went over to the CD player as Spike moved to stand in front of Buffy and began singing

And I'd give up forever to touch you 

_Cuz I know that you feel me somehow_

_You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be _

_And I don't want to go home right now_

_And all I can taste is this moment_

_And all I can breath is your life_

_Cuz sooner or later it's over_

_I just don't want to miss you tonight_

Spike was pretty good and seemed to know the song but he couldn't look at Buffy until Lorne made him, Angel and Cordy were pretty impressed. Spike and Buffy looked a little uncomfortable, this strong was striking a chord somewhere

And I don't want the world to see me 

_Cuz I don't think that they'd understand_

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_

And you can't fight the tears that ain't comin 

_Or the moment of truth in your lies_

_When everything feels like the movies_

_Yeah you'd bleed just to know you're alive_

_I just want you to know who I am_

_I just want you to know who I am_

_I just want you to know who I am_

_I just want you to know who I am_

Spike stopped and quickly went back to his seat without looking at anyone

"Well Spike that was interesting" Lorne mused at the unhappy vampire "Okay and last but certainly not least – Slayer"

Buffy stood up and went over to the space Spike had just vacated "So what am I singing then?"

"Well the only other song I feel that is appropriate is one of Wesley's" Lorne passed her the CD "Melanie C – she used to be a Spice Girl"

"Yeah I know I heard of her before – what song?" 

"Never Be The Same Again, do you know it?" Lorne played the intro

"Yeah I think I recognise it" she stood up straight and cleared her throat "I'll give it a try anyway"

I call you up whenever things go wrong 

_You're always there; you are my shoulder to cry on_

_I can't believe it took me quite so long_

_To take the forbidden step, _

_Is this something that I might regret?_

Nothing ventured, nothing gained 

_A lonely heart that can't be tamed_

_I'm hoping that you feel the same_

_This is something that I can't forget_

Buffy had never really noticed the lyrics to this song before but boy was she noticing them now as was everyone else in the room, Spike was cringing as was Angel, Cordelia had noticed the expression on Buffy's face and was thinking the same thing Buffy was and was holding back a grin

_I thought that we would just be friends_

_Things will never be the same again_

_It's just the beginning; it's not the end_

_Things will never be the same again_

_It's not a secret anymore now we've opened up the door_

_Starting tonight and from now on_

_We'll never, never be the same again_

_Now I know that we were close before_

_I'm glad I realised I need you so much more_

_And I don't care what anyone will say_

_It's about you and me_

_And we will never be the same again_

Lorne clapped "Well done – that was great – all of you were fabulous!" Lorne smiled and waited for everyone to return to his or her original seats

"Right so they were lying right, they are engaged aren't they?" Angle pointed a finger to the couch opposite him

"Yeah and he's lying too him and the cheerleader are all kye-somfin, are getting horizontal?" Spike pointed to the couch opposite him

"Spike! You know he can't he goes all grrrr…" Cordelia said in her classic 'duh' tone of voice

"Yeah well they're in love then ain't they?"

"Stop talking about me as if I'm not there" Angel intervened "Anyway I know me and Cordelia aren't well you know, but they are aren't they?"

Buffy and Cordelia just let out a sigh and sat back

"Look guys, I just read you all there and found out some kinda interesting stuff but I'm not about to tell you everything about one another" Lorne sat on the edge of the table "I can't tell you what paths you will all lead that's against the rules. Only you can chose which direction you will take in life and I am not at liberty to influence your judgement by divulging information of this sort. However I will tell you all this much your fates are in your own hands, only you can control them for your lives have not been mapped out in stone yet, you have many decisions to make, decide wisely and from the heart"

They all looked extremely confused

"Cryptic much?!" Cordelia muttered

"So what was the bloody point in that then?" Spike stood up taking out a cigarette

"Well I can tell you on a need to know basis" Lorne looked at the group and turned to Angel "They are not engaged"

Angel's face sagged he had really wanted to be right about that one, Lorne leaned forward "But Angel you wanted them to be engaged for all the wrong reasons – you should know you are no longer tied to this girl things are different now" he whispered

"And Spike Kye-Rumption is a hard process to under-go it's a path that they have not fully treaded yet as for talk of love – they share a very real, very genuine loving bond and whether this is love is for only them to decide"

Cordelia clapped her hands together "I knew all that already! So that's the argument settled then?" everyone nodded their heads in acknowledgement "Good because me and Buffy are going out for coffees – we need out of here!" Cordelia leaped out her seat grabbing Buffy's arm and her handbag as they left the building

Angel and Spike looked at each other and Lorne stood in between them "Now make like good vampires and go shake hands and share a mug of pigs blood" he patted their backs and mumbled something about going to help the traumatised country girl

"Angel, look I don't want to argue with you anymore – it's pointless and it never gets us anywhere!"

Angel nodded as he stuck some blood in the microwave "Well this is true!"

"So can I ask you a favour then?"

"Well I might have known that was coming" Angel shook his head "What is it?"

Spike sat down as Angel brought their blood over "Well you know how back in the old days we stole a lot of jewellery and loads of valuable stuff, well I kinda need some of it, like my share of it"

Angel looked at him suspiciously "Why?"

"Well I need money and it's gotta be worth something" Spike took a sip of his blood "I really need money"

Angel nodded "Okay sounds fair I suppose, wait till we've finished here and I'll get the key and we can sort you out"

After the girls returned, they all sat down and talked, agreeing that they were in some way, all wrong – even Spike, and that they wouldn't argue anymore

"So come back and see us before you go back to Sunnydale" Cordelia hugged Buffy 

"Don't worry we will – we have to go shopping before I go!"

Cordelia laughed, "A girl who had her priorities right, I like it!"

As they all stood in the doorway Wesley stumbled out his office still slightly intoxicated "Is everybody leaving already?"

"Yes Wes, but we'll be back" Buffy smiled and walked outside towards the car

"Yeah see you soon Junior! By the way your taste in music sucks!" Spike pulled his blanket over his head and followed Buffy – there wasn't much sunshine left but he'd rather be safe than a pile of dust

Wesley looked confused as he looked at Angel and Cordelia laughing "What? What is he talking about?"

The DeSoto was soon back at the hotel and Buffy and Spike climbed out and headed up the stairs towards the elevator

"That was exhausting!" Buffy mumbled as she leaned against the wall of the lift

"Yeah – he just wouldn't believe us!" Spike moaned, "He's as stubborn as a 250 year old mule!"

Buffy giggled, "Yup you're right there! But so much for the shopping, the wedding is the day after tomorrow and I'm still without an outfit! But I really don't have the energy to go now I just want to collapse into bed!"

Spike shrugged his shoulders "No matter I'm sure we'll get everything sorted in time"

"I hope so! And we should probably go try and clear things up with Penny and Michael tonight, I mean I don't want them thinking we're complete freaks!"

Spike nodded "Sounds like a plan!"

They entered the hotel room and like Buffy had said, she collapsed on the bed and was sleeping within minutes, Spike decided to leave her to it and went out do some shopping of his own.

Buffy was having a great sleep, so content and comfortable but she was suddenly brought out her slumber by thumping on her door, she rolled over in bed and noticed a piece of paper lying next to her

Buffy,

Gone out for a little while, won't be long, see ya later lazy arse!

Spike

She huffed as she rolled off the bed

"Okay, okay stop thumping the door!" Buffy started walking towards the door "Spike what did I tell you about forgetting your key! I mean do you ever listen to a…."

Buffy opened the door but instead of finding herself facing Spike she was looking at Michael, a rather drunk Michael

"Oh Buffy thank god you're here!"

"Michael what's happened? Is everything okay? Is there something wrong?"

Michael strolled in looked around for a momentand sat on the edge of the bed pulling Buffy with him, he turned and looked at her putting the whisky bottle down

"No Buffy everything's right, everything's perfect, everything is clear now!"

"Michael!" Buffy pulled away from his grip, his breath was vile of booze "What are you talking about!"

"I don't want to get married!"

Buffy's face dropped "You what…?"

"I don't want to get married" Michael shook his head "Well not to her anyway!"

Buffy was beginning to panic "What do you mean!"

"Well I love Penny really I do but it's not like me and you we were different, it's you it's always been you!"

Buffy walked as far away from Michael as she could get but the distance just didn't seem to be enough he was right behind her

"Okay well… look Michael it's just the jitters you'll be fine when you've sobered up… honest!" Buffy didn't feel comfortable with this, sure this was her intention when she had headed out to L.A but now it was happening she really wished she'd stayed in Sunnydale.

Michael grabbed her with both hands "No Buffy I don't love her as much as I should, I love you more, Buffy please!"

She struggled out his grip and moved away "Look I really think you should go, we can talk about this when you're sober!"

"No I wanna talk about it now!" Michael crossed his arms 

"Michael leave!" Buffy was getting upset, she really didn't want this she felt so torn, sure she loved him but in that way she would always love him, in the way everyone loves their first real boyfriend. But this was painful; she had only wanted to show him she wasn't a loser

"Buffy I am not leaving this hotel room without you!"

"Look you're gonna have to because Spike's gonna be back soon and he won't be happy!"

"I don't care!" he sat back on the bed "I mean what's the deal with that anyway? You didn't even like Billy Idol when we were kids!"

"Look I love Spike, he loves me, I don't love you anymore!"

"No you just think you don't!" Michael stood up shaking his head "But you do, I know you!"

He lunged at Buffy putting his lips to hers but she smacked him away

"No!"

"Look Buffy we are both making mistakes in the relationships we're in so let's not, lets get out will we still can" Michael grabbed his whisky bottle

"Look Michael speak for yourself I'm more than happy in my relationship, and what you're doing isn't fair to me, Spike and especially Penny, now leave!"

"No I'm staying, you and him, you aren't right together, we were"

"Michael we were what 15/16, we were kids, we're adults now relationships change now go home sleep on this and you'll see sense in the morning"

"I'm not going home to listen to Penny go on about floral arrangement and caterers or why I don't treat her the same way Spike treats you, according to her I'm not as spontaneous or romantic or as affection as your British wonder. I mean like getting a tatoo on your butt is romantic!"

Buffy stifled a grin, Penny was jealous of her 'pretend' relationship this was classic

"This is not my problem Michael speak to Penelope about it!"

Still Michael wouldn't budge so Buffy just shrugged her shoulders and grabbed him throwing him out the room and into the hallway, she shut the door and leaned against it, and after only a few moments

_You're just to good to be true_

_Can't take my eyes off of you_

_You feel like heaven to touch_

_I wanna hold you so much_

_At long last love has arrived _

_And thank god I'm alive_

_You're just to good to be true_

_Can't take my eyes off of you_

I love you baby! 

_And if it's quite alright I'll love you baby_

_Through all the lonely nights I love you baby_

_Trust in me when I say_

_I need you baby_

"Michael please shut up!" Buffy groaned as he continued "For God sake Michael why don't you sing a little louder I think someone in Russia didn't hear you!"

After that her hand came back out the room and snatched him back in

"Michael are you a complete moron?!"

"No, I just, Buffy I need you!" Buffy shook her head, "no you don't, you don't need me!"

Suddenly Spike enters impeccably timed as ever, "Buffy what did I tell you about leaving that door open!"

Buffy smiled and ran towards the blonde vampire throwing her arms around his neck, "Thank god you're here, Michaels here and he's drunk and you gotta get rid of him!" she hissed in his ear, Spike looked over Buffy shoulder and noticed the young man. Buffy let go of Spike and gave him a look

"I missed you too honey but I wasn't gone that long!" Spike smiled as he gave Buffy a quick peck, she rolled her eyes

"Yeah well it was long enough!" she hissed 

"Ahh, Michael my friend, to what do we owe the honour of this visit?" Spike walked towards him

"Well nothing in particular, I just thought I'd stop by, Buffy said she had wanted me to" he mumbled under his breath, Buffy growled but Spike grabbed her, putting his arm around her waist and kissing her cheek

"Now, now Buffy, Michael is getting married in two days, don't you think it's a little selfish of you to be monopolising his time like this?"

Buffy wanted to laugh but held it in "Sorry Spike"

Michael shook his head "No, no, no I don't mind at all, honest!"

"No I won't hear of it! You must have so much to do, I mean think of all those flowers and place settings!" Spike moved away from Buffy and towards Michael, he put his arm around Michael's shoulder and led him towards the door "So we'll see you soon and good luck!"

And with that he shut the door and brushed his hands together "Idiot!"

Buffy sat on the bed and smiled slightly at her vampire in shining leather

"What happened?"

"He just professed his undying love for me and then done the worst rendition of 'I Love You Baby' that I've ever heard!" 

"Wait!" Spike looked at her "He told you he loved you?"

Buffy nodded as her eyes begin to fill up "Yes and he said he didn't want to marry Penny and that he's always loved me!"

"This just isn't your day is it luv? Well if nothing else you are awfully popular with the men nowadays"

"I mean I came hear wanting to hear those words and for a long time I would have loved to have heard them from Ange too but not any more"

Spike nodded in understanding, "Is this another one of those hug moments"

Buffy smiled and Spike opened his arms to her

 "You must think I'm an idiot, a selfish idiot who doesn't know what she wants!" Buffy looked up at him

"Well luv I kinda thought that anyway! I mean you are a woman!" Spike grinned as she hit his chest

"Cheeky, arrogant, pig!" Buffy growled at him

"Oh sorry" Spike said mockingly "Does that mean you don't want this then?"

Spike put his hand into the inside pocket of his duster and pulled out a little black box

"What is it?" Buffy looked bewildered as she stared at the little velvet box

"Open it and see you silly bint!" Spike rolled his eyes

She flicked open the lid and her chin hit the floor at the sight of the gorgeous diamond cluster ring that was embedded among crushed red velvet

"Oh Spike it beautiful!" Buffy took the ring out and admired it; it was a gold band, not to thick and not too thin. And it had the most beautiful arrangement of diamonds clustered together, it wasn't too over the top, it was simple and elegant "What's this for?"

Spike smiled _'She likes it!' _

"It's your fake engagement ring!"

"My what? You didn't? You did!" Buffy grinned, "Thank you so much but you didn't have to"

"Yeah well I thought I should, it adds to the effect plus it's a little something to remember this trip by, I mean you don't need to wear it when we get home but you can keep it"

Buffy nodded as she slipped the ring on "Thank you"

"Wait read the inside, I got it engraved" Spike turned the ring around so she could read it

"Buffy kicks ass! – Spike" Buffy laughed "Oh god"

"So you like it?"

"I love it, I really do" and Buffy slipped on her fake engagement ring "Well it's better than the last one you gave me, that hideous silver thing with the skulls on it"

Spike looked shocked "You remember that but I thought Willow done a spell… so you wouldn't"

Buffy smiled "Well what she failed to mention was the effect wears off after time, so that's probably why we're so good at this engagement thing we're an old dab hand, plenty of experience!"

They both smiled and cringedas they remembered that night

"Thanks Spike"

"Your welcome Buffy"


	7. Oh What A Night

TITLE:  Oh What A Night

AUTHOR: Cheeky Chick

RATING:  PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in the BuffyVerse belongs to me and neither do any of the songs used in this story! Honest!

SUMMARY: Buffy goes to meet Michael to set some things straight. Spike has a surprise in store for Buffy. Angel and Co. make another appearance and we even have a little musical number! 

AUTHORS NOTES: Hi everybody, I'm back!!!!! Suffered a few problems in the last couple of months that have prevented me from updating or even getting near my computer at all but I'm back now and I'm going to finish this story I'm determined now! This chapter is a little weird, I've been out of the swing of things for a while now so I'd really appreciate some feedback to see if I should keep this chapter or re-write but my friend helped me write this chapter and she thought it would be quite funny to add the musical number, and I thought well what the hell if Joss can do it so can we! Enjoy!

FEEDBACK: Please it would be very much appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

"Yes mom everything is fine, I promise" Buffy twisted the phone wire, she had phoned Willow and Giles but speaking to her mom brought a comforting smile to her face "Yes I sent Michael your love"

"Uh-huh Spike got to Angel's place fine" she shot a side-wards glance at the blonde vampire who was outstretched on the couch reading  "Yeah he's been staying there, haven't really heard much from him"

"Yeah I'm really enjoying myself, Michael and Penny took me for dinner the other night, and I've even had time to catch up with Cordelia and I'm gonna see if she wants to come shopping tomorrow" Buffy smiled to herself

"Peter...? Oh Peter, yeah he's great" Buffy grinned as Spike rolled his eyes at her mentioning her other 'pretend' date "Right okay mom I gotta go, I'll call you after the wedding, okay, love you too, bye"

Buffy put the phone back in its cradle and sat back in the chair

"So? How's good old SunnyHell?" Spike looked up from his book

"Yeah everything's fine" Buffy snatched the book from him "So whatcha readin Spike?"

Spike quickly grabbed the book back "Nothin"

Buffy began laughing, "Spike that's kinda sweet – you're reading poetry – Spike why you reading poetry?"

Spike would have blushed if her could "I'll bloody well have you know I like poetry, now how's the nibblet?"

Buffy grinned, "Why you changing the subject Spike" 

The look Spike gave her told her not to pursue this "Umm… she's fine she has a date on Friday"

Spike sprung up from the couch "A date… with who!?"

Buffy smiled at his protective nature "With Danny, Danny Hartson, you know the boy she sits next to in English, she always talks about him"

"So he has been seen in daylight then?" Spike stood up 

"Yes I even met him one day when he walked her home from school and he was a very nice, normal teenage boy" Buffy laughed

"No such thing as a 'normal teenage boy' he's just a horny bundle of hormones! Only after one bloody thing" Spike paced

"Spike don't worry Dawn can take care of herself, she's a Summers!" Buffy reasoned, "Anyway everyone is fine, and the demonic activity reads normal on the Sunnydale scale"

"Okay, fine. So what's on the agenda tonight?" Spike walked over towards the window, he pulled the curtain back noting by the smoke and smell of burning flesh that the sun hadn't quite set yet "Owww…"

Buffy laughed, "You are so dumb sometimes"

"Yeah well… so are you"

"Oooo good comeback Spike!"

Buffy strolled over to the wardrobe "I called Michael earlier" she said casually

"And?"

"And I'm meeting him for something to eat and we're gonna have a chat" she pulled out a pair of black trouser and a pink top

"You going to meet him now?"

"No in about an hour" Buffy stood in front of the mirror holding her top in front of her "Can I ask you something Spike"

"Sure" Spike put down his book again

Buffy continued to look in the mirror in an effort not to make eye contact "Do you think Penny is attractive"

Spike sighed, "Well yeah I think she's attractive"

Buffy didn't say anything

Spike lay back down on the couch, "Well she looks not to bad for someone who fell out the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down" he grinned and began reading again

Buffy smiled and went into the bathroom to get ready

About an hour later Buffy sat at the hotel bar nursing a vodka when Michael strolled over

"Hey Lizzy Beth"

Buffy just glared

"Oh I so don't think so Michael – you can't Lizzy Beth your way out of this one mister! You have some major explaining to do so I can go up and give my fiancé a reason not to come down here and kick your sorry ass!"

"You told Spike!?" Michael ordered a whisky

"Yes of course I told him we share our problems Michael!" Buffy cringed, all she had done since she had come to L.A was lie but she had her reasons

"Look I'm really sorry" he drank his whisky and ordered another "I just got really drunk and wanted to see you and it just all came out, me and Penny have our problems but I don't want to jeopardise this wedding"

The waiter returned with another whisky, which Buffy snatched from him "I don't think you need anymore of this"

"Okay I deserved that, but listen I'm really sorry I don't know what came over me I guess I just got a little upset, even jealous. The relationship you guys have is so different to what we had and to what me and Penny have I was just a little overcome, I just didn't think you would…."

Buffy stared at him "You thought I'd be waiting for you, didn't think I could move on… newsflash Michael you did and not surprisingly so did I. You know you remind me a lot of someone I know"

"Is that a good thing?"

"Not the way you remind me of him, no"

Michael stretched his hand across the table "Look Buffy I just want to forget last night happened I was being selfish and inconsiderate – will you please forgive me?"

Buffy looked up into Michael's pleading eyes "Yes I will forgive you, just talk to Penny, you guys definitely have some issues"

"You can say that again!" Michael smiled "So Spike knows?"

"Yup I think the whole of L.A knows the way you were carrying on!"

"Is he gonna kick my ass?"

"Nah, but you're lucky I didn't and you know I could take you Healy!" Buffy grinned

"Yeah no kiddin, I remember what you did to Larissa and Jack!" Michael began laughing "And you'll make an even bigger dent on my face than you did on Jack with that rock on your finger"

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Buffy smiled as she played with her new ring "He gave it to me last night when you left, I love it"

"Yes it is elegant and classy, couldn't have picked a better one myself, it suits you. Obviously knows what you like"

"You're right" Buffy stared at it in a daze for a moment "I mean it's no family heirloom but it does the job"

"I'll tell you a secret neither is Penny's. My Grandmother refused to give me it but I couldn't tell Penny because she knew my Grandma had one, she's just luckily never seen it. Grandma says she wasn't going to give her priceless ring to a stuck up little hussy who wouldn't appreciate it!"

Buffy couldn't believe it this day was just getting better and better "That's just like Gamma Agnes"

"Yup, you know you're the only one she ever let call her that, she loves you, Don't think she would have bothered if her heirloom was going on your finger"

Buffy gave him a look that told him to drop it.

"Anyway let's just hope she never gets that ring valued, I don't think a proper jewellers would think to much of $99.95 engagement ring out of a discount store!"

They both burst into hysterics again. For the first time since she arrived she felt comfortable with Michael, like the good old days. She couldn't help but smile, she was happy

"Michael" he voice took on a serious note "You must promise me something"

"Anything"

"Promise me, promise me you won't sing at this wedding"

Michael burst out laughing, "I promise"

"No really because you really are awful"

Michael kept on laughing and Buffy joined in, Spike was watching from the reception and he smiled and walked away.

Buffy returned to her room a couple of hours later to find Spike standing dressed up in his new gear. He had on a navy blue shirt and dark trousers, his new loafers, his hair already ruffled, holding his leather jacket. She smiled ready to question when she noticed the bed, her favourite dress was lying on it with her handbag and shoes. She picked up the pink dress and looked at Spike

"What's going on?"

"It's a surprise" he grinned "Just get ready and meet me in the lobby

"Spike where are we going?"

"You'll see now get ready" and he left

Buffy nodded suspiciously _'What is that vamp up too now'_

She just shook her head and began getting ready

'When did this happen? When did we become so close, I didn't even notice – he's my friend – he knows what I like what I dislike; this is getting too weird but it's a good kinda weird' she smiled but it soon faded 'What's it gonna be like when we go home, I like it the way it is now when we go home it'll go back to the way it was, I dunno if I want that' she gave herself a shake, she would worry about that later

Buffy walked into the lobby she saw Spike standing at the door with a cab

"Well come on Slayer we don't have all night" Spike grinned

"I'm coming it's kinda hard to hurry while looking elegant with these heels on"

"Bye William have a nice night and you too my dear" Buffy turned round and saw an older, chubby lady getting in the taxi behind her who was waving at them, it was the lady Spike had spoke to on his first night

"We will Mrs Blake, Mr Blake" Spike nodded at the elderly gentleman who she was with

Buffy climbed in the taxi followed by Spike

"Who are you and what did you do with Spike!" Buffy stared at her companion

"What?" Spike mocked surprise "A guy can't be pleasant"

"Yes guys can but you don't do pleasant!"

"Look I thought you needed a break, this week has hardly been a barrel of laughs for either of us so we're having a night off! We are gonna have fun!"

Buffy eyes him suspiciously "Mmmm… we'll see. But no major hangovers because I need to get a dress tomorrow and I hate shopping with a headache, actually that reminds me you better look out that tux Xander gave you"

Spike looked out the window "Mmmm…"

"Spike?" Buffy looked at him "You did pack the tux?"

"Well it's actually a very funny story when I was packing a Vorakash Demon broke into my crypt and tore the place to shred leaving me only my duster, my red shirt and my jeans how weird is that!"

"Spike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Buffy's face went scarlet

"Oh alright I forgot to pack the damn dux!"

"I'm gonna kill you!"

"To late I'm already dead luv but you'll have to save the beating tomorrow 'cos we're here"

Spike gave the cab driver $20 and jumped out followed by Buffy. She looked around they were in a rather rough looking part of town,

"I think we may be slightly overdressed Spike" Buffy said as a an old lady passed with a pram full of empty cans talking to herself about the Germans

"Not at all" Spike grabbed her arm and took her into an alley and down a dark flight of stairs, he pushed open the doors and they were met by loud music, some colourful and imaginative décor and finally a green, grinning Empath demon! 

"Welcome to Caritas!" Lorne smiled 

"Thanks mate"

"Oh my god this place is so cool" Buffy looked around and noticed a large Mucus demon on stage singing 'American Pie' "Well it's certainly different"

"Yes well I pride myself on that" Lorne grinned

"Well I don't know if it's a good idea me coming here though, well with me being the Slayer and all"

"Don't fret all that's left at the front door no one cares this is a sanctuary for everyone and anyway there is a protection spell – this is a no-violence zone!"

"Yes but don't worry we won't make an announcement about your Slayer status" Lorne led them to a table "Please have a seat"

"Thank you Lorne, thanks Spike"

Buffy was so happy she knew she was gonna have a great night

"Not a problem"

Lorne brought over the Marguerites "Your guests will be joining you shortly"

Buffy looked puzzled "Guests?"

Spike took a sip of his drink and made a face "I invited Angel and Co. to join us"

Buffy looked shocked "Really?"

"Yes really and we're all gonna have a hell of a night!"

Buffy smiled and pecked Spike on the cheek; she didn't know where it came from it just felt appropriate

"Do you guys wait till you know I'm in the room until you do that 'cos that's what it looks like"

They both turned around

"Angel" Buffy smiled "Hi"

"Hey Buffy, Spike. So what do you guys think of the club?"

Spike grinned, "Well it's a bit posher than Willy's but I think I can get used to it"

Angel grinned "Yeah no kiddin"

Buffy rubbed her eyes this was all so surreal but hey she wasn't going to complain – just go with the flow. Cordy, Gunn, Fred and Wes joined them about 5 minutes later and that flow became steady, in fact it went from a flow to a flood of alcohol.

About 2 hours after they'd all met up they were all a little worse for wear, Cordy and Angel were tearing up the dance floor as Wesley and Fred sang their best rendition of  'Dancing Queen'

Buffy was in fits of the giggles at Wesley's singing and Angel's dancing "Come on Bleach Boy let's dance"

Spike shook his head "I don't really dance… especially when I'm drunk"

"Aww poor Spikey can't dance"

"Can too!"

"Well come on then"

"I'd rather not"

"Well if Angel can dance so can you"

"But Angel can't dance look at him he dances like an old man"

"Well duh, he is an old man"

"Look Slayer" his protests fell on deaf ears as Buffy dragged him onto the dance floor

After a bad start he got into the swing of it and began enjoying it. Suddenly Lorne's voice started to blare over the stereo system

"Now I take it everyone's having a good time" this was met with rapturous applause and wolf whistles from Cordy and Buffy

"Why thank you, now we have a special treat. A song from one of regular patrons someone you all know and a new face in Caritas but one that is no less infamous, would you all please give a massive Caritas welcome to Angel and Spike!"

The two faces of the vampires got even paler if possible, they looked horrified, Cordelia and Buffy meanwhile held onto each other in absolute hysterics

"… And can we also give a warm round of applause to our resident 'Vision Girl' Cordelia Chase and friend her Elizabeth"

Cordelia and Buffy stopped laughing and Spike and Angel began

"Now if our stars would please make their way to the stage and we can all have a song!" Lorne grinned as they made their way on stage giving him a look that said he'd pay for this later

"Why'd he call you Elizabeth?" Cordy whispered

"He doesn't want to make an issue of the Slayer thing"

"Oh cool"

Wes, Fred and Gunn sat down looking very much forward to hearing this "Good idea Wes man, absolute classic!"

"Yes well I thought it was least we could do!" Wesley grinned and his four companions on the stage

"So my compadres" Lorne began as he handed them all microphones "Would you gents please stand here and ladies here"

They both stood on opposite sides of the stage, staring out into the crowd

"Okay let's take a way!" Lorne hollered

"Wait!" Cordelia shouted what are we singing

Lorne simply laughed and pressed his magic button

"Grease The Megamix!" flashed up on the screen, the only way to describe to the looks on their faces would be sheer horror

The first chords of Grease Lightening could be heard, Wes ran towards the stage with Angel and Spike's leather jackets and two double tequila shooters which they promptly threw back before putting on their jackets

Spike and Angel looked towards each other before flicking up their jacket collars

"So what do we do?" Spike whispered 

"We sing the blue words they sing the pink words!"

"Have you seen Grease?"

"About a million times!"

Spike grinned, "Good well lets have a laugh then, show them what we're made of"

They nodded in agreement and made their way forward poised to start 

"Okay here for one night only we have Grease Demon Style!" Lorne began clapping as the song began

Angel and Spike sauntered to the front of the stage and began to sing with hand movements and everything

Why this car is automatic, systematic, hydroooomatic

Why it's a grease lightening

They pulled the girls to front of the stage and stood in front of them and began to walk around them singing and dancing a la Danny from Grease

I got chills they're multiplying 

And I'm loosing control 

Cos the power you're supplying

It's electrifying

They both fell to their knees in front of the girls who found the fact they knew the dance moves incredibly entertaining, as did the rest of the club who were in hysterics clapping and joining in. The girls were up and they began walking around guys who were still squatting on the floor dancing a la Sandy

You better shape up cos I need a man and my heart is set on you

You better shape up; you better understand to my heart I must be true

The guys stood back up as they all began singing and dancing getting right into the swing of it

You're the one that a want

You are the one that I want 

Oo Oo Oo honey

The one that I want

You are the one that I want

Oo Oo Oo honey

The one that I want

You are the one that I want

Oo Oo Oo 

The one I need

Oh yes indeed

The guys got all macho and burst into another verse of Grease lightening, they kneeled on the front of the stage as the girls looked on in hysterics and Wes provided them with some more dutch courage. Buffy laughed this had to be the most surreal, fun, hysterical moment of her life! Giles would never believe her! The girls moved forward again as the guys finished their little solo and the music slowed, they both stood on opposite sides of the stage dancing their way into the middle

Summer lovin' happened had me a blast

Summer lovin happened so fast

Met a girl crazy for me

Met a boy cute as can be

Summer days drifted away to a all the summer nights

Wes and Fred joined from the sidelines as the chorus in between fits of laughter

Tell me more did you get very far

Tell me more like does have a car

She stood by me she got a cramp

He ran by me got myself damp

I saved her life she nearly drowned

He showed off splashing around

Summer sun something's begun

But ahh oh the summer nights

They all eventually succumb to a fit of giggles on stage as the song came to an end and the guys leaped onto the dance floor and kneeled down serenading them

Summer dreams ripped at the seams

But oh those su-humer ni-hi-ightes

The last line sounded as if it was sung by stray cats with tonsillitis but it went down well as they all returned to centre stage to a standing ovation from the crowd, the all bowed and ran of the stage red faced

"I do not believe we just did that!" Buffy shook her head in amazement

"Yeah no kiddin, that's one for the history books. Slayer, 2 Ex-Master vampires and a Seer take to the stage for an evil version of hit musical Grease!" Spike looked amazed

Lorne ran over "You guys were F-A-B fab! The crowd loved you!"

"Yeah but I can't believe we just did that!" Angel shook his head

"I know!" Cordelia agreed "And you guys actually knew the dance moves – now that I did not expect!"

"Yeah well it might have something to do with the anti-inhibition thingy I did to the stage!"

"Okay you lost me!" Buffy laughed 

"Well I felt people were holding back onstage so I tried out a knew spell I got from the fairies so that people can get right into the song, looks like it works too!" Lorne grinned "I'll get you all some drinks, on the house of course!"

The four of them just looked at each other, "I'd kick his ass but hey can't say no to a free Marguerite!"

They all nodded and laughed together, they night had been a complete success and it wasn't over yet. Buffy hadn't had so much fun since, well she'd never had so much fun, she had no Slayer worries just a normal night out with friends. Well as normal as a night out can be in a demon karaoke bar.

It was about 5:30am before Buffy and Spike eventually got back to their hotel, they stumbled up the front steps still suffering from the effects of the alcohol. Buffy just mumbled, all she wanted to do was go to bed, Spike laughed surprised at how good a night they had all had. Buffy made her way to the elevator while Spike went to the reception to get their room key, which they had wisely deposited there before they left that night. 

"Excuse me, may I have my room key pulease" Spike leaned on the counter resting his chin on his hand

"Ah Mr Harris, of course" smiled the receptionist, it was the young lady who had checked them in

"Julia ain't it"

"Yes sir, that's right"

"I ate someone called Julia once, she owned a shop in the street I used to live… mmm…"

Julia looked at the British man confused "Pardon sir? You ate her?"

"Did I say ate, sorry I meant date" Spike smiled his cocky grin and took his room key "Thank you"

"Spike! Get your lazy, pale, worthless excuse for a butt over here, the elevator's here" Buffy hollered

"Hmm… have you met my fiancé, she's charming don't you think?" Spike laughed 

"Your fiancé, yes I believe I have met her" Julia looked at the girl "Charming…? yes very much"

Spike grinned at Julia and turned to Buffy, "I'm just coming Pumpkin!" 

Buffy looked at him standing talking to the Barbie doll who checked them in, "Spike I swear to got if you don't stop calling me pumpkin and get your ass over here pronto I'll be playing target practice with Mr Pointy tonight!"

Spike just laughed, "Pet names, she's so cute!" he winked at Julia before leaving "I'm coming honey bunch!"

Julia's cheeks coloured, "Yes sir, goodnight" 

Spike swaggered over to the elevator where an unimpressed Buffy stood with her hands on her hips; she smacked Spike with her handbag as he approached "Idiot, you just love humiliating me!"

"Yes well I do try luv!"

When they eventually got to their room Buffy made her way into the bathroom to get changed while Spike collapsed on the bed exhausted

"Umm… Spike what'd you think you're doing?"

Spike remained on the bed, eyes shut, "Well I'm not to sure but I think I'm in bed trying to sleep"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Yeah no shit Sherlock but that's my bed, you sleep on the couch!"

"You've had the bed every night, I want to sleep here tonight"

"Spike which part of I don't think so is it that you're having trouble with exactly?" Buffy just shook her head at the cocky vampire "Stupid question! That would be the think part; I mean thinking involves brain cells, something you are severely lacking! Now get the hell out my bed!"

"Umm let me think about it… no!"

Buffy stomped her feet, "Spike this was not the deal!"

Spike propped himself up on elbows "Sorry luv but I think you forget that I'm doing you the favour by being here! The least you can do is let me sleep in the bloody bed!" 

"But… I can't sleep on the couch it's… all lumpy"

Spike cocked his eyebrow "Well you could sleep on the other side of the bed, I mean it's more than big enough, well that's unless you don't think you could keep your hands to yourself all night. I know how irresistible I can be, it's a mysterious air about me, women just love me!"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "The only time women love you Spike is when you leave the room! As for resisting you that shouldn't be a problem considering sharing a bed with you is up the top of my list of things I'd hate to do – right alongside walking on hot coals and eating tofu! And that mysterious air you were talking about is actually a mysterious smell, it's caused by the fact you shower like what… once every decade!"

Spike just grinned, "Okay slayer fine, no need to get so flustered about it!"

Buffy growled at him and climbed into bed, "Whatever Spike you know I had a really good time tonight but now you're just pissing me off!"

Spike just leaned over and flicked the light off, "Ok luv but just make sure you keep under those covers r – I know you want me really!"

"Spiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikkkkkkkkkkke……….. I am so gonna stake you!!!!!!!"


	8. Oh What A Morning

TITLE:  The Invitation

AUTHOR:  Cheeky Chick

RATING:  PG-13

SUMMARY:  Buffy and Spike wake up the morning after their Caritas adventure feeling a little worse for wear, they visit Angel and Co and Cordy and Buffy go shopping. The boys and girls take some time to discuss their perspective love lives or lack of. 

AUTHORS NOTES: There is one more chapter after this and then its time for the wedding and the inevitable aftermath! So I'd say another 2 maybe 3 chapters.

Thoughts are denoted by **

Okay I know I've been out of it for a while, I went MIA for a while but just took the sudden urge to restart this story with a little help from a friend so forgive me if the continuity is a little off.

Okay I know this story is a little AU but what they hey its all in the name of fun and its quite light hearted. Spikes got a chip, there is NO Connor, Spike isn't obsessed with Buffy, Joyce is alive, Dawn isn't the key, Glory hasn't appeared etc etc

DISCLAIMER: None of this is mine it all belongs to Joss 

FEEDBACK:  Please, it would be much appreciated also if you wouldn't mind telling me whether I should make it A/C and B/S because I'm not sure whether to write the A/C in a sequel or whether to work into this story

                        ********************************************

Buffy Summers was never big on alcohol consumption, in fact for a girl her age she had kept her experiences with alcohol down to a bare minimum, well until now. Some people like to let their hair down when on holiday and Buffy Summers was no exception. So okay it probably didn't help that she'd came on this trip with a vampire who had sever issues with life and who if they hadn't been dead would be a regular at the local AA meetings. Buffy had already woken up several times this week with classic hangover symptoms and this morning was no different apart from the fact she seemed to have acquired herself a drunk, dead bed buddy.

"Aww… I can't feel my body!" Buffy moaned and tried to sit up but was defeated by gravity and the two gallons of alcohol she felt rolling around inside her. 

Buffy turned over and noticed she had company **Urgh… crap that's the second time this week I've woke up next the blonde wonder**

Spike was lying on his stomach his face turned to Buffy arm casually thrown over her midriff. She noticed how he slept with his mouth slightly open and realised how funny it was that he was making no noise and no air was coming out, suppose that comes with the territory but she'd never really noticed with Angel

**Yeah not like he stuck around for long after we…did the whole sex thing** 

"Ok I know that I'm totally irresistible but will you please stop ogling me like I'm a piece of meat!"

Buffy's train of thought was completely disrupted and she looked at the vampire who hadn't moved and whose eyes were still closed

"What!!!" Buffy blushed "I was so not ogling you! Spike ogling isn't big on my list of things to do and anyway how can you tell you're eyes are closed you great jerk"

Spike stifled a grin "Oh name calling Summers how very mature of you, what you gonna do next steal my lunch money and pull my hair"

Buffy's face remained red but this time in fury at Spike whose eyes were still closed

"Argh… you infuriate me beyond all belief!" Buffy shoved his arm off her and climbed out the bed "Now get up!"

Spike groaned and opened his eyes at last "God what a night we had last night, the sing, the dancing, the drinking… the sex!"

Buffy turned on her heels "What!? What sex? We so did not have sex last night! I mean even if I was drunk I wouldn't even contemplate doing it with you! I mean I'd remember, I'd need to be unconscious… Oh you wouldn't dare, when I was sleeping… your sick…."

Spike had that self-satisfying grin that he seemed to keep for when he knew he'd pissed the slayer off plastered on his face

"Lighten up Summers it was a joke!"

"Oh sorry must have forgot to laugh" Buffy gritted her teeth "Bad start to what I'm sure is gonna be a worse day"

By this point Spike had sat upright his back against the headboard and had stuck a cigarette in his mouth 

"You know what they say Buffy you know you're having a bad day when you wake up to find your waterbeds burst, then realise… you don't have waterbed"

Spike lit his cigarette and took a puff as Buffy turned and looked at him in utter disbelief

"What are you talking about! Have you gone crazy or something – anyway who, who actually says that?"

Spike grinned again and shrugged his shoulders "They do"

Buffy flung her arms up in frustration and sat on a nearby chair stifling a yawn "Oh god we have got so much to do today"

"Like what?"

Buffy idly played with her 'engagement' ring "Well the wedding is tomorrow, I need a dress, you need a tux and I'll need shoes, jewellery, a handbag, make-up and all that crap"

"Well why don't you and the cheerleader go shopping and get all that stuff and I'll just hang around maybe go and see what peaches is up to"

Buffy looked as if she was contemplating the idea "Yeah well I was gonna ask Cordy to go anyway so I suppose that'd be fine as long as you don't cause any trouble at the hotel"

"As if!" Spike grinned

"Why the hell are you in such a good mood anyway I mean I'm so hungover my head is pounding, my stomach is churning and you're just being a complete smartass!" Buffy looked over at the bed and shook her head at Spike

"You know something you're right I think I'm still drunk!" Spike grinned, "No more Marguerites for me, those things packed a bloody great punch!"

"Yeah no shit!" Buffy groaned at the thought "But you know what gets me the singing! You were singing!"

Spike would have blushed if he could "Yeah… well don't tell anyone in Sunnyhell I've got to uphold my rep you know!"

Buffy nearly fell off her chair laughing "You're rep….? You're rep….?"

"Slayer why do you find that so funny… I mean come on I'm the big bad!"

At this point Buffy seriously nearly stopped breathing "Oh Spike you really do crack me up!"

Spike folded his arms over his chest and growled and threw a large pillow at Buffy, it hit her right in the face and she fell off the chair 

"Why you dead, pale ass son-of-vamp" she growled as she stood up and ran at the bed thrashing the pillow from side to side "Danny watch out Sandy's coming to get you"

"Slayer no, slayer put down the pillow! Come on now Summers be reasonable"

It was too late Buffy whacked Spikes head with the pillow and continued to hit him anywhere she could, Spike retaliated by grabbing the pillow he was resting on and hitting her back

"Spike… stop… truce… no"

"I don't think so Slayer this means war!"

They continued to fight until they were both jumping up and down on the bed hitting each other, Spike was winning until Buffy just flew for him and they both crashed unceremoniously onto the bed before bouncing off onto the floor

"Ouch!" Buffy moaned as she landed on her back Spike on top of her

"Yeah ouch!" 

Spike had landed directly on top of Buffy and thumped his forehead on the floor, he pushed himself up situating one hand at either side of her head. They looked at each other for a moment, Buffy became lost in his deep blue, icy orbs they seemed to hold so much and Spike noted the light smell of vanilla emanating from her mussed up hair. Buffy noticed a small graze above Spike's eyebrow from when he hit the floor she reached up gingerly and ran her finger across it, Spike shivered at her feather light touch

"You've got a cut there Blondie"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah"

Buffy looked up and not knowing who moved first there faces came closer together until their noses were almost touching and then they stopped as if to seek permission from one another before they crossed that barrier which would change everything but Spike could wait no longer and he bent down to kiss her, suddenly the phone rang and brought them both back to reality, their lips which had felt the slightest of grazes leapt apart yet their bodies didn't move

"Umm Buffy the phone is ringing" Spike looked at her

"Yeah I know but I… well I can't get up until you move your pale ass off me" Buffy added the last part in a light tone

"Oh okay sorry" Spike stumbled up "I'm just gonna have a ciggie"

"Spike…? Spike…?" Buffy looked at his retreating form until he turned around "I totally won that round"

Spike looked slightly taken aback **She is talking about the pillow fight? Isn't she?**

Buffy sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the phone "Hello?"

It was Cordy

"Hey Buff?"

"Hey Cordy you sound…"

"Like a zombie who drained a whiskey brewery?"

"Well I was gonna go with a bear with a hangover but either works"

"Very funny, you've got the whole Slayery powers thing going on, you know extra fast healing etcetera bet you're fine"

"Ha, I wish I feel like crap, in fact I think I've reached a whole new level of crap that's gonna be renamed 'the Buffy'!" 

Cordy laughed on the other side

"Yeah picture the scene a large frat party at sigma gamma pi and in the morning frat brother Chad comes down and says to frat brother Brad 'Hey where's Tad?' and Brad turns to Chad and says 'Man it's horrible he's in his room he drank like four punch bowls and 2 kegs last night – it was awesome but now he's got 'the Buffy' and it ain't pretty'. Yup I can see it now!"

Buffy and Cordy where in hysterics

"Cordy I don't think I've heard anything that funny since Spike told me this morning he's the Big Bad and has a rep to keep up, I mean Brad, Chad and Tad! How the hell in your state of alcohol abuse did you manage to get all those names to rhyme off the top of your head I can barely remember my own name?"

Cordy was giggling like crazy "Oh my god… I actually dated three guys from UCLA named… yup you guessed it Brad, Tad and Chad all frat boys, but that's not what I'm laughing at… Spike the big bad…"

Buffy grinned and looked over at Spike

"Ahem, I'm dead, not deaf, super vamp hearing!"

"Oops, sorry Spike" Buffy grinned

"Yeah send the big bad my deepest apologies I wouldn't want him to come over and pummel my ass now would I?"

Spike just crossed his arms over his chest and pouted, Buffy thought it was kinda cute a thought she quickly banished after what nearly happened earlier

"Buffy, hello? Earth to Buffy Summers are you there?"

Spike caught Buffy staring and grinned a cheeky little smirk that made her blush

"Oh sorry Cordelia, spaced out there"

"No bother, anyway I better get on with it Angels gonna start moaning about the phone bill" Cordy lowered her tones "He's getting kinda cheap in his old age"

Buffy smiled and then heard Angel hollering in the background 'I'm dead not deaf!'

About 45 minutes later Buffy came off the phone her ears ringing, Spike had went down and ordered some food and got them to let him in to use the microwave, telling the waiter he needed to heat up his babies food the boy had offered to do it for him but Spike was insistent 

"Now son who do you think would be the nest choice to see if my wife's breast milk is hot enough me or you, plus I'm kinda funny about stuff like this you know us Brits, quite the meticulous bunch"

The young boy eventually agreed as long as he didn't tell his manager 

"Yeah man okay but don't tell my boss he's evil dude, I'm telling you he'd eat me alive if he caught me doin anything wrong"

"Really what's his name I might know him?"

The teenagers spotty face paled "Umm yeah whatever… I eh gotta go"

Spike laughed heated up his blood grabbed Buffy's lunch and left.

By the time Spike got back to their room Buffy was fully ready

"Mmm thank god you're back I'm starved"

"Yeah pillow fights and girl talk will do that to you"

Buffy blushed slightly when he mentioned the whole pillow fight but quickly changed the subject "Umm yeah I guess so, anyway I'm meeting Cordy in an hour I'll drop you and that heap of junk you call a car off at the Hyperion, Cordy and I are gonna take the convertible it's much more suitable for shopping in L.A"

"Fine whatever but that car is a classic, Angels just a big flash bastard buying a convertible!"

"Oh I think someone's jealous"

"Am not"

"Are too"

"Am not"

"Are too"

"AM NOT!"

"Oh that's it I am so taking your lunch money!" Buffy laughed

"Yeah well if you do I'll tell your mommy cos we all know how much Joyce loves me" 

The two of them laughed not just at the jokes but also at how surreal their relationship had become, they laughed and joked like old school buddies. Not that long ago they weren't even on speaking terms in fact they were trying to kill one another, oh how things change.

"Okay so what have you not to do?" Buffy sat in the Desoto

"Aww come on Slayer!" Spike pleaded "Are you not humiliating me enough! I mean I'm squeezed under the front passenger seat of my own car, I'm letting you dress me up like a Ken doll, I'm telling complete strangers I'm in love with _you _and you're taking away the only fun I'm gonna get to have on this trip"

Buffy pursed her lips and looked down at Spike "Yes I am going to take away your only fun. Ken has brown hair and is better looking than you and finally you're under that seat for a reason that is unless you want to repaint the windows because they haven't been done in a while and I'm fairly certain they're letting some sun in - look"

Buffy grabbed his hand and pulled it onto the surface of the black leather seat next to her and right enough the moment she did sizzling could be heard and there was a distinct whiff of burning flesh

"Ouch!" Spike screamed  "Slayer that was bloody uncalled for" 

Spike grasped his hand, it wasn't that painful after all it was under the light for only a second but she didn't know that

"Oh stop bitching I was simply proving a point anyway where was I oh yes…."

Spike shook his head; he looked over at Buffy she was looking real good from his position on the floor of the car. She was wearing a knee length black skirt that showed off her toned, tanned legs and a pink top with capped sleeves, her blonder hair was down and she had on enough make up to cover up the fact she dark rings under eyes due to lack off sleep and excessive drinking but not so much that her make up looked unnatural.

"God damn it Spike are you even listening to me?"

"Huh? Yeah of course! No antagonising Angel, no bringing up the whole one true moment of happiness gig to annoy him, no calling him peaches, grandpa or eunuch. Don't annoy Giles Junior about his lack of watcher skills, don't bring up Faith…. Okay look I don't have all day, can we just go in already?"

Buffy grinned "Yeah I suppose we better, now we all had an enjoyable time last night so lets not ruin things"

Buffy parked the Desoto round the back off the building inside the hotels old delivery entrance, the sun was nearly right overhead as it was early afternoon and the whole sun equals dusty Spike was a problem. Getting into the car was fine thanks to the whole big, dark and damp car park at their end and the semi-black painted windows but getting out was more difficult, eventually they got Spike only slightly barbequed from the incident with Buffy earlier into the hotel.

They soon enough found their way up to the reception area and were greeted by the fang gang less the crazy girl

"Hey you finally got here" Cordelia greeted them smiling not looking in the least unhealthy or hungover

"Yeah" Buffy grinned looking at Spike "We had a bit of car trouble"

**Bitch ain't bloody getting away with that** Spike growled internally 

Cordy and Buffy continued to chat animatedly about dresses and shoes while Spike turned his attention to the other members of the group

"So Giles Junior how's things?" Spike grinned _**_This should do the trick – I'm not her lap dog, do this Spike do that Spike jump through a bloody flaming hoop Spike_**_

Buffy's head whirled round and she sent a death glare in Spikes direction

"Fine thank you?" Wesley answered dryly barely acknowledging him as he too had a few too many Caritas cocktails last night

"Oh that's good it's just I was worried you know, with you not being all watchy and stuff I thought you're life may have lost some of it's meaning because you watcher types are brought up on that, its like a life plan and yours kinda went out the window" Spike lowered his tone "You know with you getting stuck with the rotten apple, that little minx what's-her-face"

Wesley gritted his teeth "Faith"

The whole room was silent 

"Yeah Faith I mean really it must be soul destroying but never mind it had to happen some time the only ever rebel slayer unfortunate you got landed with her!" Spike sat himself on one of the desks ignoring the glares he was receiving from Gunn, Angel, Cordy and Buffy

"I don't like him" Gunn turned to Angel "Not even a little"

"Oh how that hurts pistol" Spike stuck a cigarette in his mouth

"It's Gunn"

"Yeah I know"

Angel stepped towards him "Spike leave it"

Spike just grinned "Calm down peaches you ain't really my Granpappy you need to lighten up… go get laid… oh wait that's a sore spot cos of that whole" Spike lowered his voice again as if trying to be sensitive "One true moment of happiness you go and have a whole Angelus revival"

Angels face looked ready to explode "What's your problem"

Buffy suddenly intervened "Ignore him" she actually looked slightly amused "He is just trying to wind me up"

They all looked confused

"I told him to behave himself and told him not to say anything to you guys about well… about everything he just brought up"

They all stared at Spike who still looked pleased with himself

"I still don't like him" Gunn looked at him with contempt "Looks like Billy Idol and I was never a big fan mind you going on what I heard of your singing last night… even I could learn to like Billy"

Everyone laughed

"Wait a minute mate he copied me, I…."

Spike was interrupted by Buffy "Oh shut up if I've heard that story once I've heard it a thousand times!"

Spike sneered, "Okay you think what you want but I know the truth!"

The mood had lightened somewhat as Fred made an appearance

"Hey Fred" Cordy greeted her "You okay"

Fred smiled "Yeah I sure am but I think I might be allergic to alcohol"

Buffy smiled at her "Hey Fred, Cordy and I are going shopping if you'd like to come"

Fred blushed "Thanks very much but I'd rather not I'm not a big fan of the outside and I promised Charles I'd help him with some research"

"Charles?" Spikes guffaw was heard all the way across the room from where his head was nosying around in a drawer "Who's Charles another great big poof I've not met, researching with Charles now that does sound like fun this guy sounds like a right barrel-o-laughs!"

Everyone was sniggering apart from Buffy, Spike and of course Gunn

"You wanna meet Charles?" Gunn asked as he walked over towards Spike

"Sure why not I could do with a laugh"

Gunn smiled, lifted his right arm and connected his fist with Spikes jaw "Please to meet you Spike!"

Spike instinctively grabbed his jaw "'K guess I deserved that"

Everyone was laughing even Spike and Gunn managed a grin

"Look mate seems we got off on the wrong foot today I'm not much company when I'm sober" Spike held out his hand, Gunn took his hand and shook it

"Right now you too have kissed and made up Buffy and I have some retail therapy to be partaking in" Cordy walked straight over to Angel and held her hand out "You sure you won't come Fred?"

"Yeah thanks but no thanks I've lots to be getting on with, but you could bring me back a Burrito if you wanted"

"Course we will honey" Cordy smiled still standing next to Angel hand outstretched "Ahem"

Angel looked at her "Cordelia I have the distinct impression you want something"

Cordy faked a shocked face putting her hand to her chest "Angel I'm insulted whatever gave you that idea"

Spike held in a snort and turned to Gunn "That's why she's working here with you guys and not with Marlon Brando or Elizabeth Taylor, hardly Oscar material was it?"

Cordy growled, "I heard that!"

Gunn laughed at the joke then turned to Spike "Marlon who? Elizabeth who? Dude when was last time you went to the movies? Read a magazine? Watched T.V?"

Spike shrugged "Not big on present day entertainment, except Passions, I love Passions"

Fred's face lit up "Oh me too"

Spike grinned, "Hey crazy girl knows her stuff!"

"Typical" Fred shrugged her shoulders as she went into the kitchen talking herself "Under appreciated that's what I am. Crazy people who are productive are geniuses, crazy people who are rich are eccentric, but crazy people who are neither well they're just plain crazy!"

Spike and Gunn looked confused at her statement and shook their heads. Meanwhile Cordelia was still pestering Angel

"So?"

Angel looked at her "So what?"

"Aww come on Angel please?"

Buffy was getting bored she looked at her watched it was 2:30, she'd been up for hours, she was hungover, tired, pissed off and needed to go shopping

Angel looked nonchalant "Cordelia I'm not a mind reader, that's you're department"

"I don't read minds I see into the future – duh!"

Angel laughed, "Right okay sorry Ms Seer"

Cordelia suddenly went all stiff, Angel looked at her and she mumbled incoherently something that sounded like vision. Everything happened in a blur for the onlookers Spike and Buffy. Angel leapt forward holding Cordelia as she grabbed her head, Wes ran over with Hedex tablets and Gunn had water almost instantly

Angel whispered softly "Cordy, what do you see?"

Cordelia was leaning her hand on Angels side at his hip and she began to mumble "Woman, young, early twenties, she's very attractive" they all shared a confused look "She's in a hotel a lobby of some description, there are lots of people there"

"It's okay Cordy take your time, what else do you see?" Wesley added 

"Umm there's a guy he's kinda cute too he's right next to her, he just went into his jacket he's pulling something out, oh my god… he's giving her his gold premium company use credit card and he just told her to knock herself out because she deserves it with all the hard work she does and the mind numbing migraines and visions she puts up with"

The group relaxed Buffy grinned finally catching on 

Angel grinned then scowled "Cordelia that's not funny"

She flashed him one of her kilowatt smiles "Yeah well why ya laughing then mister"

Everyone was laughing as Angel gave her his credit card 

"Cordelia here, I suppose you do deserve it but don't go overboard… please"

Cordelia snatched the card as if he was going to change his mind "Sure thing boss"

Cordelia grabbed Buffy's wrist and pulled her towards the door turning round as she pulled the handle "Can't act huh? Sure fooled you lot!"

They all laughed as she exited

"Wait" angel hollered 

Cordy had just shut the door but stuck her head back round having heard him shout "What is it now, this cards burning a large hole in my pocket"

Angel shook his head "Yeah not as big as the one it's gonna burn in my bank balance"

"Umm did you actually want me for something other than to chastise me for the inevitability of me overspending on your credit card?"

Angel came too "Oh yeah…"

"Well?"

"I'm just kinda cute? I would have went for dashing or handsome" Angel grinned

Cordy scrunched up her forehead in confusion eventually clicking "Oh right" she smiled "Buddy that just cost you big time and gained me a new pair of Manolo Blahniks" and with that she was gone

Gunn along with Spike and Wes looked very confused "Umm I'm just gonna pretend for the benefit of those who unlike me are not fashion gurus but what the hell are Manylo Blanikys when they're at home?" 

Angel looked highly distressed "They're shoes"

Gunn looked surprised "Just shoes?"

Angel sat down "A pair of Manolo Blahniks, they're not just fashion, they are gestures, objects that happen to be fashion"

They all looked at him blankly 

"Or so Cordy tells me all the time, that's what the guy who makes them says… I dunno she leaves a lot of magazines lying around, I get bored," Angel muttered

They all grinned at him in a mocking kind of way shaking their heads mumbling about being real men

Gunn picked up the phone "Yes I'd like to cancel the subscriptions to Vogue, Cosmo, Marie Claire and any other glossy fashion magazine that's comin this way! Why? Because we're men, real men, I'm a man and I shouldn't know about pore minimising solutions, Jimmy Choo's and 10 ways to get rid cellulite without resorting to plastic surgery and without leaving the home"

They all looked at Gunn now "Aww come on don't tell me y'all haven't got bored and done a Cosmo questionnaire?"

Cordy and Buffy had decided to go grab a latte at Starbucks before they began their epic search for a dress.

Cordy brought the coffees over and sat down "Okay so spill!?"

Buffy was shaken from her reverie, "Huh? Spill what?"

"Oh come on Buff!" Cordelia waved her hand nonchalantly "What's with you and Blondie??"

Buffy blushed "Oh him, nothings going on I thought we established that the other night"

"Yeah well we did but that was for Angel's benefit, now what's really going on because the tension between you two is well…. tense, you know?"

Buffy laughed, "Aww Cordy give me a break. Honest nothing has happened between us and nothing is gonna happen between us. I mean the 'Eww' factor involved in thinking about me and Spike is so far off the disgustingly morbid scale that…."

Cordy interrupted, "Why?"

"Why?"

"Yes Buffy why?" Cordy took a sip of her latte then looked contemplative "I mean he's cute, he's funny in that dry British sense, he knows the dealy with you being all powerful, your mom likes him and he's obviously crazy about you…"

Buffy blinked a few times then rubbed her eyes and ears, "Okay I think I'm dreaming! Cordy you've got to be kidding I mean come on for every positive point you just made there's about ten negative ones waiting in the wings! I mean okay so you say he's cute and funny, I say he's dead, lives in crypt and is trapped in a time warp dedicated to the latter stage of the 1970's!"

Cordy shrugged her shoulders, "Okay so he's not big on fashion, but he is big on you"

"Cordelia Chase, I swear to god if you don't stop saying that!" Buffy lifted the coffee cup and took a sip "I don't like Spike, he doesn't like me I mean you'd be pushing it to even call us friends, we have a really weird relationship, well working relationship and anyway I'm not attracted to him!" Buffy spoke with a certain finality so Cordelia decided not to push it

"Okay, okay Buffy whatever you say, but I don't believe you" 

"Well you're gonna have too" 

**God I am such a liar, why not just tell her you and Spike flirty thing with the food, the ring, the pillows, the sleeping arrangements and the whole nearness of the making out this morning at least you'd have someone to talk too! – No there's no point because its been a mistake all of it – no point in bringing it up** 

"Okay well lets go shopping then, we need shoes and handbags, make-up oh and a dress or two" Cordy grinned "Then we can start on you"

Buffy laughed "You aren't seriously gonna spend all the money on his credit card, are you?"

Cordy looked thoughtful, "Well okay not all of it but most of it, hey I deserve it, you haven't seen the monthly paycheque that old Ebenezer gives me!"

The two girls laughed jumped in the convertible and sped off to the mall.

"Okay so you and the cheerleader aren't even partaking in a little cold on hot action?" Spike took a puff of his cigarette

Angel looked up from the obituary section of the paper that he was reading, "For the last time NO! Cordelia and I, we're friends, colleagues, we respect and appreciate each other we…."

"Would be humping like rabbits if it wasn't for the gypsy curse and the whole going 'grrr' thing that comes post-coital" Spike decided to finish for him

Gunn laughed but a shooting glare from Angel shut him up

"Look Spike I don't know what the deal is with you and Buffy but Cordy and I, friends! Do the words platonic relationship mean nothing to you??!"

Spike was quiet, looked like he was considering something, "Platonic…? Hmm…. Platonic meaning companionable, friendly, often a spiritual bond. Yeah I know what it means, look I have a platonic friendship with Dawn, with Red…"

"Yeah but one is a kid and the other's a lesbian" Angel interjected

"Exactly you can't have a platonic friendship/relationship with a honey or with someone that you know you could have something with" Spike looked happy with himself

"Right so what about you and Buffy?" Angel looked over at his dead companion

"Ahh well you see that's different – I mean had I been alive, been normal and been in rightful possession of a soul I'm sure I'd have found her moderately attractive but as it is I'm dead, an evil vampire, the closest thing I have to a soul is an a man made chip produced by the American government which I'm expecting it to break any day now." Spike leaped off the desk "I mean I don't think she's a total hag but I have a deep rooted dislike for her that stems from the fact she's the Slayer and I'm a vamp that prevents me from being sexually drawn to her but I can learn to cope with working with her and…."

Gunn shook his head "That's the biggest load of bullshit I ever heard, you don't help someone you hate, you don't go away for the week with someone you hate, you don't buy gifts and drink marguerites with someone you hate"

Angel nodded in agreement, Spike take another puff of his cigarette

"Well I said I'd learn to cope…"

Angel just shook his head and began circling the obituary section again, "Yeah well Spike it seems your coping pretty well"

"Yeah whatever I'm gonna go find the crazy girl, we're watching Passions together!" with that he stalked off his leather coat swishing "Least someone round here has their priorities right!"

**Next chapter**

****

Buffy and Cordelia return from their shopping trips with the wedding but will Spike approve. The boys seem to have bonded. Buffy's feelings about Michael and her intentions for coming are questioned how much have things changed since she changed Sunnydale. And I might squeeze in the ceremony.


End file.
